Lily Luna Potter and the New Era of Hogwarts
by Michael in Arizona
Summary: After James, Hugo, and Lily make new friends on the Hogwarts Express, including 1 highly unlikely boy, James, Hugo, Lily, and their friends experience life at Hogwarts as the school undergoes some major changes.
1. The Unlikely Friendship

It was the 1st day of September in 2019 and Harry Potter's daughter Lily was going to Hogwarts for the very 1st time.

Lily was standing on platform 9 and 3/4 wearing a white tee shirt, hot pink shorts, and hot pink flip flops. Lily was wearing a hot pink wristwatch with large black digital numbers that was a bit too big for her on her right wrist. Lily was small and short for her age and had brown eyes and flaming red hair that she always kept quite long.

Standing to Lily's right was her cousin Hugo, who was also Lily's best friend. Hugo was wearing a green tee shirt, grey pants, white socks, and white tennis shoes. Hugo's size and height were average for his age and he too had brown eyes and red hair.

Lily and Hugo pulled their trunks along until they found a place where they could board the Hogwarts Express. Once aboard they started looking for a place to sit. Most of the compartments were full.

But the compartment at the very back of the train was empty. Its door was ajar and a boy was standing just outside it. The boy was wearing a shirt featuring alternating horizontal stripes of black and white, black shorts, white socks, and black tennis shoes. He was wearing a black wristwatch with black digital numbers on his right wrist. His height was average for his age but he was very obviously overweight. He had black hair and black eyes.

This boy was struggling with his trunk, dropping it repeatedly on his right foot. Hugo entered the compartment, stowed his trunk in the luggage rack, and sat down. Lily, however, turned to the struggling boy.

"Would you like some help"? Lily asked the boy kindly.

"Yes, please," replied the boy, "I've been struggling with this trunk for 10 minutes."

"Has anyone else passed by?" Lily asked the boy.

"Several people have passed by me but no one has stopped or offered to help me until now. A few boys who passed by a couple of minutes ago made a spectacle of mocking me." answered the boy uncomfortably.

"That's really sad, I would hope that people would have more decency than to make fun of a person who is clearly struggling." replied Lily in a voice that oozed disapproval.

"And you will help me?" the boy asked Lily to confirm.

"Of course I will," smiled Lily in a friendly tone.

Lily lifted the boy's trunk into the luggage rack for him and then put up her own. Hugo, Lily, and the boy then all took seats next to each other.

"Thank you for putting my trunk in the luggage rack for me," said the boy gratefully, "I really appreciate your help."

"My pleasure," said Lily warmly, "I'm always happy to help out a friend."

"What's your name?" the boy asked Lily.

"Lily Potter," said Lily proudly.

"Harry Potter's daughter?" asked the boy uneasily.

"Yes," said Lily proudly with a wide smile.

The boy suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

"When you know who I am," said the boy sadly, "You won't want to be my friend. Our fathers were childhood enemies."

"Don't worry about that," said Lily encouragingly. "I will accept you for who YOU are. If you are a good person and a good friend, I will try my best to be as good a friend to you as I can regardless of any history of enmity between our families."

"I'm Devon Dursley, "said the boy nervously, "Yes that means that my father is none other than Harry's childhood nemesis, Dudley Dursley/"

"Nice to meet you, Devon," said Lily in a warm and welcoming voice, "It's wonderful that we haven't even departed yet and I've already made a new friend."

Lily offered Devon a handshake and Devon took it.

"Thanks, Lily, "said Devon happily, "I sense the start of a special bond between us."

"This is my cousin, Hugo", Lily told Devon, pointing at Hugo.

"Welcome to Wizarding World, Devon, "said Hugo cheerfully.

"Thanks for the welcome, Hugo," said Devon happily, "Are you and Lily really close cousins?"

"YES!" chorused Hugo and Lily.

"Hugo and I are as much BFFs as we are cousins." said Lily radiantly.

"That's super cool," beamed Devon, "With your both being redheads, looking somewhat alike, and being obviously close to each other, have you 2 ever been mistaken for twin siblings?"

"Yes, this has happened," confirmed Hugo simply.

"Lily? "asked Devon, "How do you think Harry will react when he finds out that you have befriended the son of Dudley Dursley, one of his earliest childhood enemies?"

"Harry will be very proud of me for being open minded and not judging you by your family. Harry knows people can turn out alright even if their families weren't."

"You know," said Devon thoughtfully, "Maybe we can create a new chapter for the Potters and the Dursleys. Just because the families have been enemies in the past doesn't mean it has continue that way."

"I hope that is exactly what happens," said Lily fiercely, "You deserve the chance to prove you can be a decent person."

Devon smiled at Lily.

"Hugo?" asked Devon "You are Hermione Granger's son, right?"

"Yes I am. "confirmed Hugo. "Hang on, if you are Dudley Dursley's son, then you are a muggleborn right?

"Well, I could've been half blood. "said Devon matter of factly, "But Dudley married a muggle, named Debra, so I am indeed muggleborn."

"If you are muggleborn, how do you know who Hermione Granger is?" Hugo asked Devon.

"After Professor McGonagall came to my house and explained to me that I was a wizard, I read up on some wizarding history and Hermione Granger is apparently is a huge name in wizarding history, "answered Devon matter of factly, "Anyways I was thinking about how I might be the Hermione Granger of my generation."

"How?"chourused Hugo and Lily.

"Hermione had no magical family going back hundreds of years and she's a witch," answered Devon, "The Dursleys are a very old British family and I know for a fact that I'm the first Dursley to ever attend Hogwarts or have magic."

"Well." Said Lily crisply, "Just because no one with the last name Dursley has ever had magic doesn't necessarily mean you have no history of having magical family/"

"True, "said Hugo matter of factly, "There is a way for you to find out if you have any magical relations or any history thereof ."

"How? "asked Devon curiously.

"The Room of Requirement, "answered Lily clearly, "Ask the Room of Requirement to show you your full family tree and indicate anyone who had magic."

At that nanosecond the compartment door opened and 3 new girls entered it.


	2. Quidditch Hopes and Wand Worries

The 3 new people were an average sized and heighted girl with golden brown hair and green eyes who was wearing a yellow polo shirt, white shorts, a white wristwatch with black digital numbers, low rolled white socks, and white tennis shoes, a tall albino girl wearing a red Arizona Cardinals tee shirt featuring the words Arizona Cardinals in white lettering in the middle with Cardinals logo above the lettering and the NFL logo below it, with black shorts, a black wristwatch with large digital black numbers, black socks, and black velcro tennis shoes, and a tall, lanky Spanish girl with hazel eyes and brown hair with blonde streaks in it wearing Gryffindor Quidditch robes.

"Hello," said the girl in the yellow polo shirt kindly, "I'm Ainsley Cochlain. May we 3 sit in here? We've come from a crowded compartment of 14. The albino girl is Samantha Saver and the Spanish girl is Stephanie Baylac."

"Of course, "said Lily warmly, "I'm Lily Potter, the other redhead is my cousin and BFF Hugo Weasley and the other boy is Devon Dursley."

"Thanks," said Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie together.

"You three can take seats," Lily told Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie, "I'll put up your trunks for you."

Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie sat down Opposite Hugo and Devon while Lily took care of their trunks for them.

Next nanosecond the compartment door opened again and Lily's eldest brother James was just outside it. James already had his Hogwarts robes on.

"Come in and have a seat, James," said Lily kindly, "I'll get your trunk for you."

"Thank you, Lily," replied James.

James sat down next to Hugo as Lily stowed his trunk in the luggage rack for him. Lily then sat down next to James.

"By the way, everyone," said James warmly, "I'm James Sirius Potter, I'm Lily's brother."

After that they all exchanged handshakes.

"Are you all in Gryffindor?" asked Stephanie.

"Yes." Replied James, Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, and Samantha.

"Stephanie?" asked Lily, "Are you planning to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team?"

"Yes," said Stephanie instantly. "I love Quidditch. I am hoping to be a Beater. If I can be I'll be the first girl to ever play Beater for any Hogwarts Quidditch team."

"But," said Samantha reasonably, "There have probably been girls who could have played Beater for Hogwarts Quidditch Teams in the past. I wonder if previous captains have not allowed girls to go out for Beater."

"According to the newly added Hogwarts section in the most recent edition of Quidditch Through the Ages, "said Lily clearly, "The answer to this question is a resounding yes."

"What's so odd about it," piped up Hugo, "Is that female captains have taken this position just as much as male captains."

"In other words, "said Ainsley in a disgusted voice, "It's been a bad stereotype."

"We know it doesn't matter." said Devon firmly, "There are no boys or girls, only people. The only difference between a boy and a girl is the pronouns used to refer to them."

"Well said, Devon." said James approvingly, "Good luck Stephanie. Go make Hogwarts history. Genders don't play sports. Athletes do."

"It'll be up to me to prove that," said Stephanie fiercely.

"You will," chorused Devon, Hugo, James, Samantha, Ainsley, and Lily.

Stephanie smiled at Devon, Hugo, James, Samantha, Ainsley, and Lily. Stephanie had only known her new friends for a few hours and here they all were already being so supportive of her.

"I would guess, "interjected Ainsley with a smile, "That with a name like Saver, Samantha will go out for Keeper."

"You're so smart, Ains" said Samantha with a smirk, "When we played Soccer at recess at my old elementary school I always played goalie. I was a damn good one too!"

"You'll be a damn good Keeper too!" exclaimed James.

"You'll love playing Quidditch," Lily assured Samantha.

"Damn straight!" said Samantha fiercely.

"I'm the Quidditch commentator at Hogwarts," said James proudly, "So if any of you make the team, you'll be hearing me call your matches."

"I will!" exclaimed Samantha.

Ainsley, Hugo, and Devon all expressed an interest in playing Chaser without much further discussion. Then of course...

"Harry was one of the greatest Seekers in Gryffindor history and I want to follow in his footsteps." said Lily meaningfully.

"Of course, you would want to play Seeker.," Devon told Lily, "I'd bet you turn out to be just as good as Harry was."

"I don't have to bet because I already know she will be, having actually seen her playing Quidditch, including the Seeker position, many times at home, "said Hugo proudly.

"Hugo speaks the truth here," said James happily, "Calling it now, Lily will not only become the Gryffindor Seeker but she will also go undefeated in her Hogwarts career!"

"That's a lofty goal," said Lily thoughtfully, "But you know what, it's 1 I WILL set for myself!"

"Go for it, Lily," cried Devon, Hugo, James, Stephanie, Samantha, and Ainsley in unison.

Lily smiled. She then turned to Samantha.

"Samantha?" asked Lily, "You said you played Soccer at your old school. Are you muggleborn?"

"Yes," answered Samantha simply.

"So am I," said Stephanie and Devon together.

"I'm half blood," explained Ainsley. "My parents are a witch and a wizard but my father was muggleborn."

At that nanosecond, the compartment door opened. This time it was the plump witch with the lunch trolley.

"Me first, "said Devon fiercely, jumping up instantly and zooming over to the cart.

Devon purchased 12 pumpkin pasties, 18 cauldron cakes, 15 licorice wands, and 20 boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, as well as 10 bottles of pumpkin juice to wash it down with.

"Hungry, are we?" the trolley witch asked Devon with a smirk.

"I'm a heavy eater," answered Devon matter of factly as he headed back to his seat.

1ce Devon had sat back down, Hugo and James jumped up next and made their way to trolley.

Both Hugo and James could fairly be called eager and impatient but they didn't mind Devon going 1st. 1ce Devon had taken his turn however, Hugo and James were unwilling to wait any longer.

James had always been a huge chocolate lover so it came as no surprise to Lily and Hugo that James bought himself 2 chocolate frogs and a cauldron cake. Hugo, on the other hand, had never been a huge chocolate fan. Hugo thus chose 2 pumpkin pasties and a licorice wand. James and Hugo finished off their orders with a bottle of pumpkin juice each and returned to their seats.

After Devon, James, and Hugo had been served, none of the others were nearly as eager.

In fact, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all gave each other looks as though to tell the other 3 "you can go ahead of me if you'd like."

"I'll go last," offered Lily politely.

Ainsley, Stephanie and Samantha looked at each other for a few more nanoseconds before Ainsley finally rose and headed over to the cart.

"I'm a middle grounder when it comes to turn taking situations, "explained Ainsley, "I'm patient enough to be willing to wait my turn if surrounded by eager and impatient people yet I'm also comfortable taking my turn before other people if surrounded by patient people who are willing to wait their turn."

Ainsley purchased only 1 box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and 1 bottle of pumpkin juice.

"I'm making a smaller purchase than any of others because I've brought a few things from home," Ainsley explained to the trolley witch, "I'm a huge tropical girl and the trolley doesn't offer any tropical favored products."

"The Hogwarts Express doesn't run often enough to justify selling niche items," explained the trolley witch, "With so few runs per year, we can only afford to carry items that we know we can mass sell. We'd end up with too many wasted leftovers if we offered niche products."

"That's totally understandable," nodded Ainsley.

Ainsley sat back down and pulled a bag of tropical skittles and a bag of coconut M&Ms out of her right hand pocket to complete her fix.

Stephanie stood up next and she proved to have mixed tastes purchasing a slab of standard Honeydukes chocolate and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans to go along with a bottle of pumpkin juice.

"You next, Samantha," said Lily when Stephanie was reseated.

Samantha shook her head in disappointment. "I don't have any spending money on hand today. I am hungry but unfortunately it'll have to stay that way until the feast tonight."

"Don't worry, "said Lily gently, "Samantha, get what you want off the trolley and I'll pay for you."

"Oh, thank you Lily," said Samantha gratefully, "That's very nice of you."

Samantha turned out to prefer chocolate as she went a cauldron cake, a chocolate frog, and a slab of standard Honeydukes chocolate to go with a bottle of pumpkin juice.

Lily then stood up herself and, not being in the mood for "weird" flavors chose the same items as Samantha. Lily paid the trolley witch for both Samantha's and her own lunches and they both regained their seats and started to eat.

As they ate, Ainsley turned the talk to their wands

"My wand," said Ainsley matter of factly, "Is maple and phoenix feather, seven inches, quite whippy.

"Harry tried that wand!" exclaimed Lily and James in unison

"It was the second wand Mr. Olivander offered Harry. It didn't choose him of course." explained James.

"And years later it chooses me." smiled Ainsley. "All wands stay in the shop until they choose a witch or wizard. What about the rest of you?"

"Six inches, ash and dragon heartstring. Unbendable," answered Hugo simply.

"Chestnut and unicorn hair. Eight and a half inches. Springy," supplied Stephanie.

"Beachwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible." said Samantha.

"The very first wand Harry tried!" said Lily excitedly. "So now 2 wands that Harry tried have chosen witches, including the very first wand he ever tried. There's something exciting for me about knowing that 2 students in my year own wands that Harry 1ce tried."

"That IS pretty cool, big sis!" said James brightly.

"No doubt about that, baby bro!" said Lily cheerfully.

"Big sis? Baby bro?" asked Devon in surprise, "Isn't James 4 years older than Lily?"

"It's a running gag James and Lily have between themselves." explained Hugo.

"What about your wand James?" inquired Devon.

"I'm a bold wizard," said James brashly, "Therefore it is only fitting that I have a 13 and 1/2 mahogany and dragon heartstring wand. Bold and powerful. I'm a great wizard with a great wand."

"What about your wand Lily?" asked Samantha curiously.

"Ten and a quarter inches. Swishy and made of willow." said Lily proudly. "Yes, I have the same type of wand that my paternal grandmother had. Yes, the same paternal grandmother who died for Harry when he was only a baby, the same paternal grandmother whom Harry named me for."

"How did Harry react to that wand choosing you?" asked Devon.

"He was very emotional. He said that it wasn't an accident that I was destined for that wand. It was a very poignant moment for him to see his daughter chosen by the same type of wand his mother had had. This feeling was only intensified by the fact that Harry named me after his mother. I only hope I can live up to it. What about your wand Devon?"

"M-my w-wand- began Devon.

He paused, looking very worried.

"Devon, what's wrong?" asked Lily supportively.

"My wand is terrible and I'm terrified it's going to make me go bad, "said Devon shakily.

"Is it elder?" asked Stephanie.

"No," said Devon hysterically, "My w-wand is made of y-yew. That means I have the same type of wand that Lord Voldemort had. It's even thirteen inches with a phoenix feather core. So, other than it being a half inch shorter, I have Voldemort's wand."

"Don't worry about that, said Lily reassuringly, "All wand types have been owned by both good and bad witches and wizards."

"Lord Voldemort w-wasn't any bad wizard. He was literally the most dangerous and terrible Dark Wizard of all t-time. I d-don't w-want to go bad but now I have almost a replica of Voldemort's wand. "fretted Devon.

Ainsley dug into her pocket and pulled her Kindle Paperwhite . She tapped the collection named Harry Potter and then tapped the book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. She used the go to feature to find page 333. She then showed Devon a passage she had highlighted on the page.

This highlighted passage read "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

"See, "said Ainsley gently, "Voldemort made all the wrong choices. You don't have to be like him at all. You can choose to be a good person."

"Maybe someday Devon's yew wand will help him save the life of a family member or friend." suggested Hugo.

"Good thought, Hugo." said James wisely, "Powerful wands can be used for good causes too you know."

"And maybe there's a reason that wand chose you." Lily told Devon. "If my wand chose me because of a family connection, maybe your wand chose you because it knows you are a good boy who can break the bad stereotype yew wands have had since Voldemort gave yew a bad name.

"Thank you for your support, everyone, said Devon, relaxing a bit but still looking uncomfortable.

"Time for a change of subject," suggested Lily, "What do you think of the new sorting process this year? Do you like coming to Hogwarts knowing what house you'll be in?


	3. Changes at Hogwarts

"So," said Lily to the group as a whole, "Do you like the new sorting procedures?"

"I do," said Hugo clearly, "It was nice to be able to have some privacy with the Sorting Hat by being sorted in a private room in Diagon Alley."

"It was also nice, "added Devon, "To come into Hogwarts knowing what house I'm going to be in and not have to wonder or worry about it."

"The Sorting Hat considered putting me in Ravenclaw," explained Ainsley, "But it decided on Gryffindor in the end. Still, the privacy in which this year's sorting occurred eliminated the embarrassment factor from being a hatstall."

"What is a hatstall?" asked Samantha.

"A student that the Sorting Hat takes at least 5 minutes to sort." answered Lily. "Hatstalls are quite rare."

"A fact that would have only added to my embarrassment had the old method of sorting in the Great Hall at the start of term feast continued into this year." added Ainsley.

"For a shy and uncomfortable girl like me, the private sorting was most welcome." said Samantha firmly.

"I knew I wanted Gryffindor, "smiled Stephanie, "So on my sorting day I wore Gryffindor Quidditch robes and carried a miniature figure of Aslan with me. I didn't give the hat a choice."

"The new sorting method is apparently popular, said Lily," But I would have liked to have sat under the Sorting Hat in the Great Hall. It's how my parents and brothers were sorted and when it was done at Hogwarts it had a rite of passage feel to it I felt I didn't get with my sorting."

"It's okay, Lily," said Devon supportively, "Nothing wrong a difference of opinion."

"Personally," said James crisply, "I loved being sorted in the Great Hall and I would have been very bummed out if this change had been instituted when I was a 1st year. Then again, I'm outgoing and love showing off so..."

"The earlier and more private sorting isn't the only change at Hogwarts this year." said Lily, "The roommate concept has been jettisoned at Hogwarts. Each student will now have his or her own room."

"Yep," confirmed Hugo, remembering his Hogwarts letter that summer, "Over the summer all the dorms at Hogwarts were magically transfigured from some rooms for five to many rooms for one."

"Had this change not been implemented," said Samantha fiercely, "I would have declined my invite to Hogwarts. I would have wanted NO part of the working things out/working at interpersonal relationships aspects that naturally come along with having roommates."

"Everyone, no matter who he or she is, should have the solace of his or her own space and now Hogwarts students will." said Ainsley happily.

"The idea of my room not being my own space would have been pretty repugnant and repulsive," admitted Devon. "Glad to see Hogwarts making improvements for the lives of students."

"As someone who is going into your 5th year at Hogwarts, what are your thoughts on this change, James?" asked Ainsley curiously.

"Actually," said James happily, "I've always had my dorm to myself to myself because, through an exceedingly rare sorting quark, I am the only Gryffindor student in my year. That said, I'm philosophically opposed to the roommate concept and give this change 10 rounds of applause."

Next nanosecond, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all clapped exactly 10 times. and then smiled at each other.

The rest of the train ride passed uneventfully other than the mundane task of changing into their Hogwarts robes but the post feast speech would bring news of even more changes at Hogwarts.

Devon, Hugo, James. Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all took seats at the Gryffindor table upon entering the Great Hall.

There they were greeted by Lily's brother Albus and cousin Rose as well as Albus's and Rose's best friend, an Asian girl named Pamela Patil.

"This is my other brother, Albus, "said Lily, indicating him, "Along with my cousin and Hugo's sister Rose (Lily indicated Rose), and their best friend, Pamela Patil. They are 3rd years this year."

Albus, Rose, and Pamela introduced themselves to Devon, Samantha, Stephanie. and Ainsley, and exchanged pleasant greetings with them and Albus, Rose, and Pamela, took off and found seats of their own.

A few nanoseconds after Albus, Rose, and Pamela had departed, a redheaded 4th year boy and a redheaded 2nd year girl approached Devon, Hugo, James. Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily.

"These are 2 more cousins of mine," said Lily, "Fred and Roxanne Weasley, the son and daughter of George Weasley and Angelina Johnson."

Fred and Roxanne introduced themselves to Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie and shook their hands before going to find seats of their own.

"Let the feast begin," said headmistress McGonagall.

The food appeared instantly on the golden plates.

Devon ate 12 chicken breasts, 10 steaks, 8 chicken legs, 20 sausage links, 10 bacon strips, 2 pounds of mashed potatoes, 2 pounds of fries, and 15 breadsticks washing it down with 12 cans of Budweiser.

James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily, though they all ate some of everything, all ate much more modest portions, though Stephanie loaded up on mashed potatoes. James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily each ate 1 chicken breast, 1 steak, 1 chicken leg, 2 sausage links, 2 bacon strips, 2 breadsticks, and a handful of fries each. James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily each ate a small helping of mashed potatoes while Stephanie ate a pound of mashed potatoes. James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily each gulped down 2 cans of Budweiser.

Dessert was a similar story as Devon ate 6 gallons of vanilla ice cream, 2 pounds of lemon jello, and 1 pound of chocolate pudding with Lily, Hugo, Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie having 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream, 1 block of lemon jello, and 1 cup of chocolate pudding each.

When the students had as much dessert as their stomachs would permit them to, Professor McGonagall gave her start of term speech.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, first years," said McGonagall, "And welcome back to those in second year and above. Please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. We also have some changes in curriculum this year."

The attentiveness level rose considerably at that.

"First, the retarded subject of Divination is being removed from Hogwarts curriculum effective immediately." said McGonagall delightedly.

Rose Weasley burst into applause at this news while Pamela Patil's face showed a very disappointed look.

"More importantly," said Professor McGonagall clearly, "Care of Magical Creatures is now a first year subject that is compulsory through fifth year."

The reaction in the hall to this news was pretty much all the students exchanging I wonder why type looks.

"The reason for this," continued McGonagall "Is that Minister Shacklebolt feels one of the biggest dangers facing young witches and wizards is dealing with unknown magical creatures."

"He's absolutely right," said Lily smartly, "After all, hadn't you better know not to insult a hippogriff, hadn't you better recognize a lethifold if you see one, hadn't you better understand why fwooper song must be enjoyed in moderation?"

"Exactly Miss Potter," beamed McGonagall, "However, Professor Hagrid must now receive permission from either the minister or myself before bringing live creatures to class."

Many students in second year and above, including Pamela, looked relieved to hear this. Lily had heard that Hagrid was not exactly responsible when it came to judging the safety or dangers of magical creatures. James and Albus had both told Lily about having had near misses with some of Hagrid's questionable creatures.

"Most importantly, "said McGonagall seriously, "Is that you will see an accelerated pace in Defense Against the Dark Arts and to a smaller degree Charms. In the case of Defense Against the Dark Arts, subjects your parents may not have covered until third year may now be covered in first year. The purpose of this is to allow for more advanced classes once you reach NEWT level."

There wasn't much spoken reaction to this, but many students, including everyone in both Lily's and Albus's groups, exchanged looks that said quite plainly, "That should be useful." Everyone was quietly taking in this news in his or her own way.

After the start of term activities were concluded, Lily, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie followed the Gryffindor prefects up to Gryffindor Tower.

Once inside the circular common room, Lily climbed the steps to the girls' rooms and found the one with nametag Lily Potter on it.

There she saw bare pink walls along with a closet and a wonderful four poster bed and her trunk at the foot of the bed.

"My own room all to myself," thought Lily happily. "Yes, Hogwarts got that right this year. Having roommates would SUCK. The privacy, peace, and space of having one's own room are the way it should be."

Lily changed into her hot pink pajamas and hot pink slippers and climbed into bed.

Lily was very pleased to see that her bedsheets and pillowcases were also hot pink.

Smiling to herself and feeling she had made it, Lily fell quickly asleep.


	4. The Depth of Devon's Fear

The next morning, Lily got up at 7am. She took a shower and brushed her teeth with her hot pink toothbrush before dressing and going down to the common room.

By 7:30 am Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha had all come down from their rooms.

Lily noticed a badge on James's chest.

"James, you've been named a prefect?" asked Lily excitedly.

"Yes," said James proudly, "Of course the staff didn't have much choice as I'm the only Gryffindor in 5th year this year. In fact, there is 1 less prefect than usual this year because there are no Gryffindor girls in 5th year this year. Still had there been competition for the 5th year boy prefect from Gryffindor this year, I would have won it and that's a fact."

"Congratulations, baby bro!" smiled Lily.

"Thanks, big sis," grinned James.

"I don't understand the prefect system." said Stephanie.

"Every year," explained James, "Hogwarts selects 1 5th year boy and 1 5th year girl from each house as that year's new perfects. All prefects remain prefects for their final 3 years at Hogwarts unless they have the privilege of being a prefect revoked. Also, 1 7th year boy and 1 7th year girl are selected from the existing prefects as head boy and head girl of Hogwarts for that year. Prefects have various responsibilities and must attend prefect meetings regularly. In fact I've got to my 1st prefects meeting at 8 a.m. this morning."

"And miss breakfast?" asked Devon.

"Breakfast will be served to the prefects at this meeting," explained James, "We aren't discussing anything serious at this 1st meeting. This 1st meeting is basically an opportunity for the new prefects such as myself and the existing prefects to have a meet and greet. It's opportunity to meet each other and talk to each other and get to know each other over breakfast. "

""That's a good idea," said Lily approvingly, "I think the prefects will be able to work better together by getting to know each other better. In the old days the 1st prefects meeting of the year was held on the Hogwarts Express."

"That seems like it would have been pretty hectic," said Devon as he remembered reading about this as he educated himself on Wizarding history before coming to Hogwarts.

"I'm with you 2 on that." agreed James.

"It'd be pretty cool if we were to start our Hogwarts careers with 1 of the accelerated subjects, wouldn't it Lily?" said Hugo excitedly.

"Yeah it would." replied Lily in a voice that was full of anticipation. "I'm most looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts so I would love it if we had that first."

"I'm just happy to be starting at Hogwarts, period." said Devon as Ainsley, Stephanie. And Samantha nodded.

Devon? "asked Lily cautiously, "May I ask you a personal question?"

"I don't promise that I'll answer it, but you won't offend me by asking." answered Devon calmly.

"In taking up your place at Hogwarts, do you miss your friends from the muggle world?" Lily asked Devon in a soft voice.

"I don't so much miss them so much as I feel sad that I'll never see them again, "answered Devon, sounding quite sad, "Since 1st grade I had been great friends with 3 boys named Miles Munson, Gary Coates, and Todd Murray. Had I had not come to Hogwarts I'd be with them at Smeltings."

"Friends come into and go out of life, that's just part of life," said Samantha dismissively.

"Giving up those friendships was a price that was well worth paying to accept my invite to Hogwarts but I can't pretend it wasn't a sacrifice,"said Devon matter of factly.

"I like how you put that," said Hugo respectfully. "You acknowledge the price of your decision while clearly being at peace with that decision."

"And it's not like I'll ever be lonely at Hogwarts, you 6 are wonderful friends." said Devon brightly.

"I too had to sacrifice friendships from the muggle world in order to take advantage of the opportunity to become a witch but I'm more philosophical about it," said Stephanie matter of factly, "Sacrificing friendships to take advantage of the opportunity to become a wizard was clearly a very emotional decision for Devon."

"It really was," acknowledged Devon, who was now fighting back tears, 'The loss of my friendships with Miles, Gary, and Todd stings me to the core and it hurts to even talk about it. But if I had declined my place in the Wizarding World and at Hogwarts I would have regretted it forever. The opportunity cost of giving up my friendships with Miles, Gary, and Todd was a painful opportunity cost indeed but it was 1 it was well worth paying to come to Hogwarts and become a wizard."

"See, I had a very strong bond with my muggle friends while those friendships were in progress ," explained Stephanie, "But 1ce I got the opportunity to come to Hogwarts and become a witch it was easy for me to leave them behind because I saw it as entering another phase of my life and because of this reality; if you turn down opportunities to protect friendships, then you are turning down opportunities for the wrong reasons. You have to shut out and shut off emotion and make the choice that is right for you and your life. The bottom line is that it's a truism of life that opportunity is more important than friendship."

"It ABSOLUTELY IS a truism of life that opportunity is more important than friendship," agreed Samantha in fierce voice, nodding her head vigorously, "Truer words have never been spoken."

"Would it be a fair statement to say that you're the type of person who doesn't become attached to other people in the 1st place?" James asked Samantha.

"That's more than a fair statement. That is an outright fact," said Samantha proudly, puffing out her chest, "The fact that I am literally completely immune from becoming emotionally attached to other people is and has always been my greatest strength as a person."

"What makes you say that, Samantha?" asked Ainsley.

"People who become emotionally attached to other people are setting themselves up for grief or sadness," said Samantha bluntly, "Because, well, people die, people move away, people change schools/jobs, situations like Devon's occur etc. The fact that people become emotionally attached to other people is the greatest weakness of the human species and Devon's situation is an example of why. If only Devon hadn't been emotionally attached to Miles, Gary, and Todd in the 1st place he wouldn't have to feel the sadness and hurt that he feels now."

"I take the opposite view," said Lily crisply, "To me the love and affection that comes from close relationships is the most important thing in life."

"That love and affection and the joy and satisfaction that comes with it is the very thing that makes life worth living." said Hugo firmly.

"BINGO, HUGO!"cried Lily, "Love, affection, and relationships are the very things that give life meaning and value."

"I'm in league with Lily and Hugo here," said James clearly, "Samantha, would you say that you make a conscience effort to avoid becoming close to other people?"

"I would if I had to," said Samantha decisively, "It's just not the worth the eventual grief and sadness on the other end."

"That sounds like going out of your way to avoid putting yourself in position to avoid bad/hard times," observed James, "But if you go too far with avoiding the bad, the good will pass you by."

"BRAVO, JAMES, "cried Lily, "Nothing is more precious than love affection, and relationships. Not saying that Samantha, Stephanie, or Devon made the wrong decision to come to Hogwarts. But I do think we should all strive to cultivate strong bonds with each other now that we are here."

"It's funny, me being a wizard," said Devon,

"And how did Dudley react when you got and accepted your invite to Hogwarts?" Lily asked Devon.

""He is very supportive of my entry into the magical world, "said Devon happily. "Dudley Dursley the adult is not like Dudley Dursley the child. Dudley the adult is a good man. Dudley said no matter what I'd always be his son and he'd always be proud of me. Of course, Debra was quite glad I accepted my invite to Hogwarts. I have always attended all boys schools and Smeltings is also an all boys school. Debra is NOT a fan of gender segregation. "

"I have to go to my prefects meeting now," said James matter of factly, "See you guys again at lunch."

James left for his prefects meeting while Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily went down to breakfast.

1ce at breakfast, Devon piled his plate with 40 pancakes, 20 waffles, 10 pieces of toast, 30 sausage links, and 30 strips of bacon, washing it down with 6 jugs of Sunny Delight. Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily each consumed 1 pancake, 1 waffle, 1 piece of toast, 2 sausage links, and 2 strips of bacon and gulped down 1 glass of Sunny Delight each.

At that nanosecond, Professor Longbottom, now head of Gryffindor, came around and handed out timetables.

"You're in luck, Lily," said Stephanie as she looked down at her schedule, "Our first class this morning is Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor McMillian."

"Excellent," said Lily and Hugo together.

"Professor McMillian was in my year at Hogwarts, but in Hufflepuff, "said Professor Longbottom. "My wife is his best friend."

"Is he is a good teacher?" Lily asked Professor Longbottom.

"Absolutely," replied Professor Longbottom. "Professor McMillian is highly knowledgeable about Defense the Dark Arts, has a special aptitude for the subject, and is passionate about what he does. Accelerating the classes this year will present him with a new challenge but I'm sure he'll handle it well."

At 5 till 9, Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie headed off for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Arriving precisely at 9am, Professor McMillian gave them a serious talk as they sat down.

"As you know, Defense Against the Dark Arts is the most important subject taught at Hogwarts. This is 1 of the reasons you don't share this class with another house. Small class size will allow time for 1 on 1 instruction. The importance of this subject is also the reason why we are starting accelerated classes this year. By teaching you more through your first 5 years, we'll also be able to take you through more advanced concepts in years 6 and 7."

"Professor McMillian?" asked Lily, "Professor McGonagall said we would be doing things this year that our parents didn't do until 3rd year. "

"Correct, Miss Potter," said Professor McMillian matter of factly. "Today we are going to tackle boggarts."

Professor McMillian pointed his wand at the wardrobe in the back of the room, and a boggart came out.

The boggart shot straight at Devon and when it reached him it took a most shocking form.

There was a Devon in the boggart and a Lily in the boggart. The Devon in the boggart pointed his wand directly at the Lily in the boggart and cried "Avada Kedavra!"

The Lily in the boggart crumpled and fell to the ground, instantly dead.

The real Devon screamed and burst into tears as his face reddened.

"M-my w-wand," said the real Devon shakily. "Is m-made of y-yew. That's the wood that was in Lord Voldemort's wand. I'm terrified I'll g-go b-bad."

Next nanosecond, Devon crumpled to the floor, still sobbing.

There were a couple of minutes of uncomfortable silence after that.

The fear regarding his wand that Devon had expressed on the Hogwarts Express had seemed real enough. But only now that they saw his boggart did his friends fully realize how deep this fear truly ran.

"This means, "said Lily quietly after a few minutes, "That Devon's worst fear is the fear of going bad."

"Yes," confirmed Devon with his voice trembling.

"In a way, "observed Ainsley, "It's an admirable boggart. You have to respect someone who cares enough about wanting to be a good person that his worst fear is the fear of becoming a bad person. At the same time, I really hope Devon will come to understand that it's totally in his control to be a good person. It all comes down to making the right choices."

"I didn't get to choose the wand I owned. The yew wand chose me." said Devon fretfully.

"But you can choose how to use that yew wand," said Ainsley briskly, "You can use that wand for good you know.""

"True," agreed Stephanie, "We've all got both light and dark inside. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."

"But what if my wand chose me with the intent of turning me to the Dark Side?" suggested Devon in a worried voice. "We're talking about the wood that chose Lord Voldemort.'"

"But good wizards have owned yew wands as well," said Hugo clearly. "Voldemort gave yew a bad name. I predict your yew wand will 1 day save the life of someone you care about or a family member thereof. "

"Yeah, powerful wands can be used for good too," pointed out Samantha, "Hugo may be right, there may come a time where you will say that owning that yew wand is the best thing that could have happened to you."

It was Lily who ultimately what to say to calm Devon down.

"Devon," said Lily supportively, "We all love you and we're all behind you 100%. I know you're a good person and I know you'll turn out alright. If you ever need someone to talk it to you can always come to me. I'll act as a sounding board for you if you want to get something off your chest but I also will be a non-interfering friend."

Something about both Lily's voice and her faith in Devon seemed to soothe Devon and he seemed to settle down a bit.

"Lily?" requested Devon, "Will you please help me up?"

"Of course I will," said Lily gently.

Lily reached down and offered Devon her right hand in his right hand. Devon's right hand took Lily's and Lily pulled Devon back to his feet.

"Thank you all for your support, "said Devon with deep meaning in his voice. "I especially want to thank you Lily, you really know how to be a great supportive and loyal friend. I have 2 very loving and supportive parents in Dudley and Debra. But you have to remember that I'm an only child. I have no siblings and as both Dudley and Debra are only children themselves I have no cousins either. As great of parents as Dudley and Debra are, sometimes it's just nice to able to talk things out with someone my own age and as an only child, this makes me my friendships very important to me. I am especially lucky to have such a truly wonderful friend as you, Lily."

Lily smiled, feeling proud of having her friendship qualities praised. And she swore to herself then and there to live up to that praise.

Devon was a good person, but it was clear how much he needed the support of his friends and Lily was determined to always be the best friend she possibly could


	5. Boggarts Bring Out Emotions

Seemingly forgetting that Devon had not actually faced the boggart, Samantha stepped in front of it.

The boggart instantly took the form of Samantha's own dead body the nanosecond it saw her.

"The fear of death is easily and indisputably my worst fear," said Samantha clearly. "There are times when I am scared to go to sleep at night because of I'm terrified I might not wake up again."

Lily, Hugo, Devon, Stephanie, and Ainsley all nodded. All of them a bit of this fear themselves. There were very few people who didn't. Of course, it was only natural that this fear would be more pronounced in some people than others. Everyone thought it was a very reasonable boggart for a person to have.

Samantha pulled her wand out of her right hand pocket and pointed it at the boggart.

"Riddikulus!" cried Samantha.

Although Samantha had said the incantation correctly, there was no change to the boggart's form.

Samantha drooped her head a bit, looking embarrassed.

"Samantha?" asked Lily gently, "Did you forget to think of a funny form for your fear?"

"Um- I" began Samantha nervously.

"It's okay, "said Lily supportively, "I'm not making fun of you. I was just asking."

"Yes, I did forget about giving my fear a funny form," said Samantha dejectedly. "I'm not good with performing in front of groups of people to begin with and I got really nervous about people seeing what my worst fear was."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," Lily told Samantha supportively. "The fear of death is a fear most of us share even if it's worse for some people than it is others. Besides, we all start at the beginning at Hogwarts. Try again and I know you'll do a good job. Go for it Samantha, give it another shot."

Bolstered by Lily's supportive words and confidence in her, Samantha again pointed her wand at the boggart.

"Riddikulus!" cried Samantha for a 2nd time.

This time, she got it right.

The skin on Samantha's body in the boggart turned all sorts of fun and vivid bright colors: yellow, orange, hot pink, sky blue, lime green, cyan, and milky white.

Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha herself all burst into giggles. Though the laughter was not strong enough to defeat the boggart, it did rattle and confuse it.

"That was E level work, "said Professor McMillian. "An O would have required the defeat of the boggart. Still. That was quite good for someone facing a boggart for the first time."

"If I can average an E in Defense Against the Dark Arts throughout my Hogwarts career, I'll be happy. I believe my O work lies elsewhere. Of course, as a muggleborn I came to Hogwarts with no knowledge or idea of my strengths, weaknesses, or interests in the magical community."

"Same story here," said Stephanie, now stepping in front of the boggart herself.

When the boggart saw Stephanie, it took the form of Stephanie holding a report card that showed she had achieved a grade of T in every subject.

"My greatest fear is the fear of failure," explained Stephanie, "This feeling is fear is magnified by the fact that I am now a muggleborn at Hogwarts. Lily, Hugo, and Ainsley grew up around magic. I had no idea I was magical until I got my Hogwarts letter."

"Don't worry Steph, as with death, failure is a common fear," said Lily gently.

"I certainly share that fear even though it isn't my worst fear," added Samantha.

"Don't worry about being at a disadvantage from being new to the Wizarding World either. I'll always be there to lend you a helping hand whenever you need one," promised Lily.

Stephanie gave Lily a smile and then took her wand out of her left hand pocket.

"Riddikulus!" cried Stephanie.

Several pairs of scissors now appeared in the boggart. These scissors all now started to cut up the report card of their own accord.

Once again there were laughs and giggles and the boggart got more confused but it still wasn't enough to defeat it.

"E level work, Miss Baylac, "said Professor McMillian.

"For my first attempt I'll take it, "said Stephanie in a voice that didn't exactly ooze satisfaction, "But my long term goal is to be an O student in Defense Against the Arts."

"You will become an O student in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Stephanie, I know you will." Said Lily fiercely.

Stephanie smiled at Lily again. It was great to have such a supportive friend in their group.

After that it was Hugo's turn with the boggart.

Hugo's boggart showed Hugo looking sad as Lily was determinedly looking away from him.

"My worst fear is becoming estranged from Lily," explained Hugo clearly. "Lily and I are as close as any cousins ever will be and we're BFF"s as well. My worst fear would be doing something that would ruin that relationship."

"Oh, please," said Samantha scornfully, "Anyone who can have his or her boggart take that form is guilty of either becoming emotionally attached to other people too easily or of becoming too emotionally attached to other people or both."

"Samantha, you don't understand," said Hugo clearly. "You, Ainsley, Devon, Stephanie, and I are all friends with Lily. But I'm the only person in this room right now who can also claim her as family. It's a very special thing to have a person who is both a very close family member and a best friend at the same time."

Samantha just shook her head as Hugo pulled his wand from his right pocket.

"Riddikulus!" yelled Hugo loudly as he pointed his wand straight at the center of the boggart.

The Lily in the boggart made of a fool of herself by attempting a series of incredibly complex and difficult gymnastics that she was nowhere near capable of. After each attempt, the Lily in the boggart fell on her ass as the Hugo in the boggart was laughing his ass off at this display.

As this there was a huge outburst of laughter in the room.

Devon, Samantha, and Stephanie were all laughing hard.

Hugo and Ainsley, who had the best sense of humor of the group, were laughing even harder.

But no one was laughing harder than the real Lily. Lily had always been the type of person who didn't mind being the subject of humor.

As if to prove that point, the real Lily now attempted 1 of the complex gymnastic skills that the Lily in the boggart had attempted. Sure enough, the real Lily fell on her ass just as the boggart Lily had.

At this, everyone burst into such a fit of laughter that the boggart exploded and became nothing but dust.

"OH BRAVO!" said Professor McMillian. "Mr. Weasley, that is O level stuff there. And 5 points to Gryffindor for Miss Potter for using self-deprecating humor in a way that helped the others finish the boggart."

"Hermione expects me to be an O student in Defense Against the Dark Arts, "said Hugo. "Looks like I'm off to a good start."

"We'll be needing another boggart," said Professor McMillian.

Professor McMillian now pointed his wand at the wardrobe again and another boggart came out. This boggart shot instantly at Lily.

When Lily was face to face with the boggart, it showed several forms. It started off showing Harry dead. Then Ginny dead, Then James and Albus dead. Then in order it showed Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie dead. It settled on showing Hugo dead.

Lily had tears flowing down her cheeks though she continued to face the boggart resolutely.

"My w-worst f-fear.,' cried Lily "Is the fear of losing of a loved 1. The loss of a family member of close friend would be the worst thing that could happen to me. Losing Hugo would be the worst of all because he is both family and close friend."

"Seriously Lily," said Samantha in a mocking kind of voice, "Anyone who can have his or her boggart take that form is guilty of either becoming emotionally attached to other people too easily or of becoming too emotionally attached to other people or both."

"Samantha, "said Lily calmly, "You cannot understand Hugo's or my boggart because you have never had a very close relationship with another person."

"I got on well with all my classmates in elementary school but I was never close to any of them and I don't come from a close knit family either. And thank god for that. The single greatest weakness of the human race is that people become emotionally attached to other people. I am a genuinely lucky girl to not have this weakness myself," said Samantha firmly.

Lily sighed. Samantha clearly could not understand how Lily or Hugo felt about their boggarts.

Lily now opened her hot pink schoolbag and pulled out her wand.

"Riddikulus!" roared Lily.

In a nanosecond, without any of them seeing a form, that boggart was defeated and reduced to smoke.

"25 points to Gryffindor for Miss Potter for vanquishing a boggart with her own internal laughter. That's beyond O level. It's a very rare ability."

"Even Harry can't do that," said Lily matter of factly. "Harry actually predicted that I would be better at Defense Against the Dark Arts thanhe. I am proud to being on my way to doing so."

"Harry will be so proud of you when he hears about this, Lily," said Hugo proudly.

"That he will," agreed Professor McMillian. "Harry will be delighted that his own daughter actually accomplished an internal laughter boggart vanishment. And it we'll be needing another boggart."

Professor McMillian pointed his wand at the wardrobe 1 last time as Ainsley still needed to face it.

When the boggart found Ainsley, the image inside became that of a dementor.

"My worst fear is fear itself,' explained Ainsley, "That is why my boggart takes the shape of a dementor."

Confidently reaching down and taking her wand out of her right sock, Ainsley smiled as she pointed her wand at the boggart,

"Riddikulus!" shouted Ainsley with a smirk.

The dementor in the boggart was suddenly wearing a bright vivid yellow dress as confetti fell on it.

There was once again an instant uproar of laughter from everyone, especially from Hugo. The boggart quickly collapsed into nothing.

"O work by Miss Cochlain," said Professor McMillian. "And Mr. Dursley, as you never actually faced the boggart, I'll officially mark your grade for today as E but I want to see a good piece of homework from you."

"Ains, that was bloody brilliant, "Hugo beamed. "A dementor wearing a dress! If that isn't hilarious then I don't what is!"

"Thanks, Hugo!" smiled Ainsley.

"No, thank YOU, Ainsley, for your brilliance giving us such an entertaining moment, "responded Hugo.

"Absolutely. "agreed Lily, Devon, Samantha, and Stephanie.

"Well, "said Devon thoughtfully, "Ainsley's sense of humor made her well suited to the task. Ains, that dementor in the dress was totally awesome baby!"

Ainsley beamed.

"Good job class," said Professor McMillian. "Homework. Write s short essay about your worst fear, what, if anything you can do to cope with and overcome, and your boggarts. A box of NFL logo chocolates will be given to whichever 1 of you writes the best essay."

As the bell rang to end Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lily and company felt bolstered, Hogwarts education was improving. They could all sense that the accelerated classes wer going to pay off.


	6. Helping A Friend Through Heartbreak

After Defense Against the Dark Arts let out, Lily, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley headed off to Charms.

Charms was still taught by Professor Flotwick, who got started with class the nanosecond the bell rang.

"You have heard that Charms will be an accelerated course this year," began Professor Flotwick, "The magnitude of acceleration will not reach that of Defense Against the Dark Arts but it will allow for you to learn more in your 7 years of Charms than your parents did in theirs."

Sitting on Professor Flitwick's desk were 7 purple blocks.

He handed out 1 each to Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie while the 7th remained on his desk.

"Today we're going to be doing Basic Color Change Charms, "explained Professor Flitwick.

"Basic?" asked Samantha.

"The difference between Basic Color Change Charms and Complex Color Change Charms," said Professor Flitwick clearly, "Is that Basic Color Change Charms only consist of changing a 1 color object from 1 color to 1 other color. If there is more than 1 color to be changed from and/or into then a Complex Color Change Charm is required. Complex Color Change Charms are much more difficult than Basic Color Change Charms. Even in our accelerated mode you're still a few years away from learning Complex Color Change Charms. Now Color Change Charms are used more for fun and entertainment than anything else but Basic Color Change Charms are nevertheless a good starting point for beginners in Charms."

"I am guessing we will be changing the color of the blocks you passed out," piped up Lily.

"Correct, Miss Potter," said Professor Flitwick.

"What color will we be changing them into?" asked Devon.

"Orange," said Professor Flitwick. "To achieve a Basic Change Charm, you must point your wand at the object whose color you wish to change. The incantation is the name of the color you wish to turn the object into plus the suffix ify. You must also have an image in your mind of the object in the desired color. "

Professor Flitwick pointed his wand at the purple block still sitting on his desk and said "Orangeify."

Sure enough the block on the desk turned completely orange.

"Your turn," said Professor Flitwick.

Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie all pointed their wands at the purple blocks in front of them and cried "Orangeify."

Lily and Stephanie both turned their blocks completely orange. Ainsley and Samantha turned half their blocks orange. Devon's and Hugo's blocks were still stubbornly 100% purple.

"You all said the incantation correctly," Professor Flitwick informed them. "But the real key to a Basic Color Change Charm is the image in your mind. Miss Potter and Miss Baylac obviously were concentrating well on this image. Miss Cochlain and Miss Saver had the right idea but weren't locked in enough. Mr. Dursley and Mr. Weasley must have only said the incantation without the necessary mental image."

They continued to practice and to everyone's delight by the end of class all 6 of them had turned their blocks 100% orange.

"You are all capable of being O students in this subject and as all of you eventually succeeded at turning your blocks 100% orange you will receive a grade of O for this lesson. There will be no homework assigned today."

Their 1st Charms lesson could hardly have gone better and they whole-heartedly agreed with Professor Flitwick that they could all be O students in Charms.

Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha went down to lunch together feeling bolstered. They found James sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and he greeted them eagerly.

"How did your 1st day go, big sis?" James asked Lily excitedly.

Not wanting to discuss tense or emotional subjects in the Great Hall, Lily opted to focus her answer to this question on Charms.

"We've just come out of Charms class," said Lily happily, "And by the end of class all 6 of us successfully performed complete Basic Change Charms.

"Good for you," smiled James, "It's nice to hear you guys are off to a good start. Flitwick is a fantastic teacher too. There's no reason all 6 can't be O students in 1st year Charms."

"That's what Flitwick himself told us," Lily informed James.

Lunch played out in typical fashion. Devon chowed down 60 spicy white chicken breasts, 4 pounds of mashed potatoes, 2 pounds of corn, 8 biscuits, 3 whole apple pies, and washing it down with 9 large cups of Coca Cola Classic.

James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily ate 2 spicy white chicken breasts, 1 cup of mashed potatoes, 1 cup of corn, 1 biscuit, and 1 slice of apple pie washing it down with 2 cans of Coca Cola classic each. Stephanie ate mostly the same portions as James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily but ate 1 pound of mashed potatoes.

As lunch was about to end, Professor McGonagall asked Devon to come to her office for a talk. When they returned, Lily was stunned to see tears streaming down Devon's face.

"Devon?" asked Lily gently, "What's wrong?"

Devon shook his head and then pointed them towards Gryffindor Tower and ultimately led James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie. and Lily into his room.

Devon closed the door to his room and locked it.

"What is it Devon?" asked Lily again in a concerned voice.

"I-I I've l-lost a loved 1, "sobbed Devon. "This morning m-my paternal grandmother, Petunia Dursley died after sustaining severe injuries falling down the stairs on her way to breakfast."

Lily didn't what to say. She put her arm around Devon's back and Devon rested his face on her arm and sobbed into her shoulder for the next 5 minutes.

"Lily, please let go," Devon eventually requested.

Lily let go of Devon and they both composed themselves.

"Devon, "said Lily respectfully, "I know I can't know how you feeling as no one of any even remote importance to me has ever died while I've been alive. I'm a very lucky girl in that sense. But I know that are heartbroken and devastated by your sudden loss. If I can do anyone to help you through this difficult time, please let me know."

"There are a few things you can all do for me," said Devon, "1st, you can give me my space. In the coming weeks I may need a lot of alone time. I may spend long periods of time shut up in my room. I request that you don't come into my room unless absolutely necessary for the rest of September. You can be sensitive to my feelings by not bringing up the subject of my loss unless I bring it up 1st. Lily, you can do what you just did right now, that is provide me a shoulder to cry on should I need 1. I've never lost a family member before so I don't how I will grieve. It may a lot of crying in the next few weeks, it may mean needing a lot of alone time, it may mean venting, it may be some combination. Lily, you can help me by being that shoulder to cry if I need that. And you can all help me just by respecting my space."

At this, Devon burst into tears again and once again started crying into Lily's shoulder.

James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily all had a few tears in their eyes as well.

To see a friend go through such a sudden, unexpected, and devastating loss at such a young age was heartbreaking. Samantha, however, seemed numb to it all as she had not a single reaction since Devon broke his news.

Suddenly, Stephanie walked up to Devon and engulfed him in a tight hug.

"Devon, I love you and I'm behind you 100%. I'm here to help you in any way you want or need," said Stephanie fiercely.

Stephanie let go and Ainsley stepped up to where Devon was standing and hugged him too.

"Devon, I love you and I'm behind you 100%. I'm here to help you in any way you want or need," said Ainsley fiercely.

Ainsley let go and Hugo came forward and took his turn hugging Devon.

"Devon, I love you and I'm behind you 100%. I'm here to help you in any way you want or need," said Hugo fiercely.

Hugo let go and James went over to Devon and now he embraced Devon as well.

"Devon, I love you and I'm behind you 100%. I'm here to help you in any way you want or need," said James fiercely.

James let go and Lily came up and hugged Devon far tighter than any of the others had.

"Devon, I love you and I'm behind you 100%. I'm here to help you in any way you want or need," said Lily fiercely.

As Lily let go, Devon felt a different kind of tears forming in his eyes.

These were not the tears of grief that the loss of Grandma Petunia had brought him. Nor were they tears of happiness. Instead they were they tears of pure emotion as Devon took in how much support he was getting from Stephanie, Ainsley, Hugo, James, and especially Lily.

"I-I can't express in words how much your love and support means to me," choked up Devon, "I've been dealt a cruel blow with the sudden and unexpected loss of a very close loved 1. But I am very lucky to have friends like you lot. There will be a grieving process I'll have to go through. But with all this love and support around me, I know I'll get through it. Especially thanks to you, Lily, you are my greatest source of comfort."

"Friends support friends through hard times," said Lily clearly. "That is what true friendship is about."

Lily was feeling sad to see 1 of her closest friends going through time. But she also knew she needed to be there for Devon as he needed her.

Lily would always be there for friends when they needed her, ESPECIALLY during their worst times. Friends supported friends through their worst days and worst moments.

Helping friends through the tough times was what true friendship was all about.


	7. Lily Takes Flight

Devon held up reasonably well over the next few days.

He was prone to occasional bouts of crying on Lily's shoulder and on 1 occasion he had used Lily as a punching bag.

But, to Lily's great relief, he acted mostly normally. Devon continued to put full effort into his schoolwork and continued to eat his normal humungous portions at meals.

On Thursday afternoon, Lily, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie had their first flying lesson.

Lily had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else and was excited when Thursday afternoon arrived.

The weather could not have been better as the sun was out, there was a slight breeze, and the temperature was a comfortable 73 degrees.

Madam Hooch, who had been quite old when Harry had been at Hogwarts, had died a few years before James Sirius Potter had started at Hogwarts and flying lessons had been taken over by Heidi Macavoy.

The school brooms had also been upgraded.

Upon taking over flying lessons, Madam Macavoy had purchased a whole set of Nimbus 2000 brooms to be used as the school brooms.

While fairly no nonsense minded herself, Madam Macavoy was friendlier with the students than Madam Hooch had been.

"Good afternoon," said Madam Macavoy in a pleasant voice, "You are here to learn how to fly. My main job is to supervise you and to correct any obvious mistakes I see in your flying skills but I'm going to allow you some freedom as well. Everyone stand by a broomstick. They are all the same so no fighting for position."

Everyone stood by the broomstick nearest him or her and awaited further instruction.

"Stick your right hand over your broom and say "up", "said Madam Macavoy.

Lily's broom jumped into her hand on her 1st attempt, but it was the only 1 that did.

Samantha, Stephanie, Ainsley, and Hugo all got it after a few attempts.

Devon, however, struggled. In fact it took minutes before he was able to do it.

When everyone had gotten his or her broom into his or her hand, Madam Macavoy told them "Let me see you try to fly. I am here to supervise you in case anything goes wrong. You start your flight by kicking off from the ground hard. Lean forward slightly when you wish to descend."

As the students began flying, there were obvious variations in the flying skills of the 1st years.

Devon was by far the worst. In fact, the best he could manage was to hover a few feet above the ground. Any attempts at any real flight by Devon resulted in his plummeting to the ground.

Considering how overweight he was, Devon's lack of flying skill was not a surprise to anyone.

Hugo and Stephanie were okay fliers. They weren't particularly graceful fliers but they could stay on their brooms and fly alright.

In spite of being raised in a wizarding home, Hugo hadn't had much exposure to broomsticks or flying because Hermione wasn't much interested in broomsticks or flying or Quidditch.

Ainsley and Samantha were good fliers. They skillfully changed speeds and heights on a broom. Their turning skills were a bit weak but overall Ainsley and Samantha were good fliers.

Samantha was quite a good flier for a muggleborn. Of course, as she had told Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, and Stephanie on more than 1 occasion she had always been good at sports.

But the best, by far, was Lily. Lily was a TOTAL natural on a broomstick and she glided through the crisp fall air effortlessly.

She could easily make quick dramatic changes in speed, and height and even proved to be a master of making the sharpest turns.

After a while the others all landed on their feet and just started watching Lily fly.

The more they watched her fly, the more impressed they were.

At one point, Lily did a figure 8 on her broom at top height. At another she did a lap around the pitch in breakneck speed.

After a while, Hugo and Devon began happily chanting "Lily! Lily! Lily!" as loudly as they could.

Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley started clapping. Even Madam Macavoy joined in the cheering.

In a twist of fate, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, a burly 5th year boy named Wesley Wood, happened to see Lily's excursions on her broom as he was passing the pitch on his way to Gryffindor Tower.

Lily made her landing as Wesley approached the pitch.

"Potter?" said Wesley, "Was that your 1st time on a broomstick?"

"No," said Lily," I've been flying in various forms since I was 5. Quidditch is a big thing in my family."

"Well, Potter, you're in luck," said Wesley, "My name is Wesley Wood and I'm a Beater for Gryffindor and the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. My team has been decimated by graduation and as of now I'm the only person on the team. I am hereby offering you the Seeker position Potter. You're a great flier and your physical build is perfect for a Seeker."

Lily looked totally stunned for a nanosecond. Then she suddenly broke out into a huge grin.

"Just like when McGonagall saw Harry fly in his 1st year!" cried Lily happily. Like father like daughter!"

"Lily," said Devon in a voice that oozed pride, "I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of you. That was really something to see."

Devon slightly lifted up Lily's shirt with his right hand and started rubbing her belly button while messing up Lily's hair with his left hand.

Lily grinned.

"Thanks Devon," smiled Lily. "I will do my best to reward Wesley's decision."

"Didn't I tell you all on the Hogwarts Express that Lily was a great flier!" beamed Hugo.

"We're so happy for Lily!" cheered Ainsley as Stephanie and Samantha nodded.

"Calling it now," said Samantha, "Lily will become the greatest Seeker in Hogwarts history!"

"If any of the rest of you would be interested in playing for Gryffindor, trails for 3 Chasers spots, 1 Beater spot, and the Keeper spot will be held on Saturday, September 14th, 2019,, at 9 a.m. "said Wesley clearly.

Though the others did intend to try out, right now, they were too caught up in being happy for Lily to think about that.

Hugo, Devon, Ansley, Stephanie, and Samantha all gave Lily high 5s and pats on the back.

Hugo, Devon, and Ainsley walked a distance and Ainsley, who was good at Transfiguration and a master of Conjuring Spells, conjured 3 medium size water balloons.

Hugo, Devon, and Ainsley all snuck up on Lily from her back and dropped the water balloons on her head.

SPLASH!

Lily turned and saw Hugo, Devon and Ainsley. She grinned at them and giggled.

"It feels great, "said Lily radiantly," To see my friends all so genuinely happy for me. "It means the world to me see my friends sincerely happy for my great performance and fortune without a tent of jealousy."

"Lily, you have no idea how spectacular that was to watch from the ground," said Devon matter of factly. "We were in awe of how good you are."

"Exactly!" said Hugo glowingly.

Lily went to bed that night with a certain special feeling inside of her. Harry had been made the Gryffindor Seeker is his 1st year. Now Lily had become Gryffindor Seeker in her 1st year at Hogwarts.

Yes, things were looking up.


	8. Gryffindor Beater and Keeper Trails

The next few weeks passed smoothly as Devon, Hugo, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily settled into life at Hogwarts.

On the morning on September 14th Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha all turned up on the Quidditch pitch at 9 a.m. for the trails. Though Lily was already on the team, Wesley had asked her to come to trails because he wanted a short practice session with the team after it was chosen. And Lily would have tagged along to support her friends anyways. James also came along both to support them and to get a look at the Gryffindor team whose games he would be commentating when the Quidditch season started.

"Because it is the most subjective position to select," began Wesley clearly, "I will be holding the Beater trail 1st. Please step forward if you are trying out for Beater."

Stephanie stepped forward and was the only girl to do so.

Her opponents for the 1 open Beater position were a massive 6th year boy named Gilbert Brown, a skinny 3rd year named Ryan Rollins, and James's and Lily's 4h year cousin, Fred Weasley, who wasn't very close to anyone expect his sister Roxanne, who had come out to support him.

Stephanie smiled to herself. If she was to become the first girl to ever play Beater at Hogwarts, she would have to beat out boys to earn the spot as opposed to beating out another girl. This was exactly how Stephanie wanted it.

"Let me see you 4 take a lap around the pitch," ordered Wesley. "I want to make sure you can actually fly before I give any of you a tryout for a position."

This eliminated Gilbert Brown, who struggled to control his broomstick.

Wesley then decided to simply give Stephanie, Ryan, and Fred a bat and let 2 bludgers loose. He would now give this trail somewhat of a game simulation.

After 5 minutes, it was crystal clear that Ryan was the weakest of the 3 remaining Beaters and Wesley told him he was eliminated.

Fred and Stephanie then went through 15 very intense minutes of back of forth. Both of them were masters of handling the bat and both knew how to swing hard and send the bludgers where they wanted. It was a mono e mono. Fred would make a great hit, and then Stephanie would make a great hit. Stephanie would make a great hit, and then Fred would make a great hit.

James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily cheered on Stephanie while Roxanne cheered on Fred. This cheering was polite and clearly rooting for Stephane or Fred and not against the other.

Then, finally, Fred hit 1 bludger so hard that it fell around the earth and became a satellite.

"That's the clincher," called Wesley, "Congratulations to Fred Weasley on becoming a Gryffindor Beater."

Stephanie felt her heart sink to her feet and had a few silent tears fall down her cheeks. She knew that she hadn't lost the trail so much as Fred had won it. That made the defeat hurt so much worse. Her best was awesome, but not good enough to make the team.

Rather than an engage in celebration, Fred went over to Stephanie and gave her a gentle pat on the back.

"Stephanie," said Fred gently," Look, I know how heartbroken you must feel to have come so close to becoming a Gryffindor Beater only to be denied in the end. But I want you to know how much I respect and admire the performance you gave today. You were just as worthy as I was. It came down to when Wesley could spot a defining moment. That moment came for me before it did for you, but you know what? You are actually 1 of the 2 best Beaters in all of Hogwarts right now. There was only room for 1 of us. It's a harsh reality of sports that somebody's triumph is somebody else's tragedy but you should be very proud of how you performed today. I know it hurts like hell right now. You are Marcus Paige to my Kris Jenkins. But you were truly my equal and I hope you realize that."

"Um, thanks Fred," said Stephanie weakly. Fred's words of respect had made her feel a little better. And it would be Lily who would complete the process of helping her feel better.

"Stephanie," said Lily "This is not the end of your hope of becoming a Gryffindor Beater, Wesley is a 5th year and Fred is a 4th year. That means, based on Wesley's and Fred's graduation years, there should be an open Beater position for Gryffindor again in our 4th year and again in our 5th year as well."

Stephanie actually smiled at this. As disappointing as today's outcome was, Stephanie would 2 more chances down the road to achieve her dream.

Lily then dug into her hot pink school bag and pulled out a bag of gummy bears. Knowing that Stephanie loved gummy bears, Lily handed Stephanie the bag of gummy bears and said "This is for you"

"Thanks, Lily," said Stephanie kindly, a smile coming back to her face.

Stephanie starting munching on a few lemon flavored gummy bears and after a few minutes she felt closer to being like Stephanie again.

"Thank you for your support, Lily," said Stephanie gratefully, "You're always a great friend to us all. And thank you Fred for your kind words. You really helped me feel better about myself. The loss will sting a bit for a while but I feel better about myself going forward because of your kindness. Good luck this season."

"Good luck to you too, Stephanie," returned Fred," I predict you will snatch a Beater spot after Wesley graduates."

Stephanie smiled at him and Fred went over to his sister Roxanne to celebrate with her.

"I want to do Keeper trails next," said Wesley," Anyone wishing to try out for Keeper please step forward now."

Samantha stepped forward, as did an overweight 5th year boy named Brain Block and a small and short 2nd year black boy named Rajon Reject.

Once again, Wesley decided to start with a flying test. This eliminated Brain, who walked away from the pitch cussing.

Wesley then summoned a Quaffle Shooting Machine.

Wesley ordered Samantha to the south hoops of the pitch and Rajon to the north hoops.

"The Quaffle Shooting Machine will alternate between shooting at the north hoops and shooting at the south hoops," explained Wesley. "There are 20 Quaffles loaded into at this nanosecond. Each of you will get 10 save attempts. Whoever saves more shots will become the Gryffindor Keeper."

Both Samantha and Rajon showed great quickness, agility, and reflexes. They were also both disciplined about staying near the center hoop most of the time.

Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, and Stephanie all cheered on Samantha with it obviously being pro Samantha and not anti Rajon.

Both Samantha and Rajon saved 9 out of 10 Quaffles shot their way.

Wesley reloaded the Quaffle Shooting Machine with 10 Quaffles and on the 2nd go round Samantha and Rajon both saved 4 out of 5 Quaffles.

Finally, Wesley settled on a round by round to decide it. Samantha and Rajon each saved the 1st 3 Quaffles shot at him or her during this process. On the 4th, however, the Quaffle got by Rajon and went the left hoop on the north end. On Samantha's 4th turn, it looked like she too would let the Quaffle in. But at the last nanosecond, Samantha got a fingernail on it and made the save.

"YES!" screamed Samantha.

"Congratulations to Samantha Saver on becoming the new Gryffindor Keeper" said Wesley.

"Take that Rajon," rubbed in Samantha, "I was the best Keeper here and I proved it! I was better than you and I proved it! Gryffindor will be so much better off for my being made Keeper!"

Samantha waved a finger in Rajon's face before running over to Lily.

"YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT!" shouted Samantha, "I was freaking awesome out there!"

While Lily would've preferred Samantha to have had a little more humility, she was glad to have Samantha on the team. Samantha was clearly a GREAT Keeper and Lily was happy to know she would have at least 1 of her friends from her year on the team with her.

James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily all quickly congratulated Samantha on making the team. With Chaser trials still to come, there wasn't much to time to celebrate

"We're teammates now, Lily!" said Samantha proudly, puffing out her chest.

Lily smiled at her new teammate as pride in Samantha engulfed her.

Lily felt bad for Stephanie but she liked the team Wesley was assembling so far.

Now it was time for the Chasers.

The Chaser trails had attracted more hopefuls than the others and it was hard to see who all was there. James, Lily, Samantha, and Stephanie focused on Hugo, Devon, and Ainsley.

"I should warn you all now," said Wesley clearly as the Chasers took the pitch, "That I hold Chasers to higher overall flying standards than Beaters or Keepers. It will be harder for Chasers to survive the basic flying test than it was for Keepers or Beaters."

Hugo slightly shook his head at this. He knew that having a higher overall flying standard for Chasers would make it harder for him to make the team.

He had flown on brooms and played variants of Quidditch a fair few times at Potter Manor, but being Hermione Granger's son meant that flying and Quidditch weren't part of his own home life at all as Hermione had no interest in flying or Quidditch.

When he flew and played Quidditch at Potter Manor he was a competent flier but he now doubted he could meet the standard Wesley would want.

Sure enough, the basic flying test eliminated Hugo from consideration for a Chaser spot. He was a little disappointed but not too upset. Even before Wesley's announcement about Chasers being held a higher flying standard, Hugo had put his own chances to make the team at 40%. He thought he might stand a better chance in a future year, but he wasn't counting on that either.

Predictably, Devon was also eliminated. He was not even disappointed at all because he knew all along that he was a longshot to make the team. Not only had he flown poorly at flying lessons, but he had never been good at sports in general.

Upon their eliminations, Hugo and Devon went to join James, Lily, Samantha, and Stephanie.

"Sorry Hugo and Devon," said Samantha empathically, "Sorry about you too Stephanie."

Samantha looked between Hugo, Devon, and Stephanie and felt a few tears forming in her eyes.

"I know hearts can't get any heavier than your hearts must be right now," said Samantha sadly to Hugo, Devon, and Stephanie.

"That's only accurate for Stephanie," said Hugo reasonably," I'm only a little disappointed. I wasn't that close and I didn't really expect to make the team.

"And I knew all along I was a longshot," said Devon flatly, "I've never been very good at sports anyway. But when you really like your chances and come so close and get beat by a nanometer thin margin… I can't even begin to fathom the devastation and anguish that poor Stephanie must be feeling."

"True," agreed Samantha in clearly heartbroken voice , "She's the 1 I feel the worst for. I've never felt sorrier for anyone in my life"

"It does bite my heart," admitted Stephanie, "But all hope is not lost. I will have another chance in the future."

"So we will we," added Hugo and Devon.

"Go for it!" said James encouragingly, "Chase your dreams. Never give up."

"Glad to see you have some fighting spirit," said Lily approvingly,

"Let's focus now on supporting Ainsley," said Devon. "I really want to see her make it"

"As do we," chorused James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily.

"For the actual Chaser trails," called Wesley," I'm just going to put a quaffle in play and see how you all play. Beware that I will give passing and quaffle handling = weight as goal scoring."

From the nanosecond the Chaser trails started it couldn't be clearer that Ainsley was BY FAR the best Chaser on the pitch.

The 1st time Ainsley touched the quaffle; she was at the south end of the pitch and fired a shot all the way to the north end that went straight through the middle hoop.

James, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all starting clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and chanting "Ainsley! Ainsley!" at the top of their lungs.

Hearing this made Ainsley even more eager to show off her skills. It meant a lot to her to hear all of her friends, including those whose own trails had not ended the way they would have liked, to be so excited for her chance to make the team.

Heeding Wesley's warning, Ainsley made sure to pass the quaffle enough times for Wesley to see she was just as skilled a passer as she was a scorer. And her quaffle handling was superb. When Ainsley wanted to keep the quaffle in her hands, it almost seemed as though her hands were made of stickum. And when she wanted to pass or shoot, the quaffle seemed to come off her fingers effortlessly.

Ainsley was so good that she made all the other Chasers look "meh"...

Still, there were 3 spots to fill.

After 20 minutes, Wesley called off the trail and said, "Here are my selections. Because I want an older Chaser on the team and because she proved so adept at avoiding bludgers, 7th year, Rachel Robins. Because I'd like a Chaser from a Quidditch family and because she works well in a team concept, 2nd year Roxanne Weasley."

Fred ran up to Roxanne and hugged her.

"Hey, sis, we're teammates now!" said Fred happily.

Roxanne smiled. She was shy, not that close to anyone, and largely a loner but she was happy to play with her brother.

"And the final Chaser spot goes to…." Said Wesley, dragging his voice out," Ainsley Cochlain, the greatest Chaser Hogwarts has seen these many years."

"YES!" cried Ainsley, jumping up and down.

James, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all ran up to Ainsley to congratulate her.

"Teammates!" called Lily and Samantha happily.

"Teammates!" said Ainsley, high 5ing Lily and Samantha.

"BTW," said Ainsley meaningfully, "I especially want to thank Hugo, Devon, and most especially Stephanie for how excitedly behind me they were during my trail. That couldn't have been easy after your results."

'It was very easy," said Devon firmly while Hugo and Stephanie nodded, "You're our friend. Friends support friends unconditionally."

Lily and Ainsley both smiled

Wesley called for a short practice that went smoothly.

Ainsley, Roxanne, and Rachel proved to work well together, though only Ainsley could beat Samantha to score. Fred also proved a good compliment to Wesley at Beater. And Lily caught the snitch effortlessly the 1st time she spotted it.

After Lily caught the snitch, Wesley dismissed his team and told them to be on the pitch for a practice om Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

Samantha, Ainsley, and Lily came off the pitch and greeted Devon, Hugo, James, and Stephanie, and Devon said, "I'd like to sing a song. Lily, Samantha, and Ainsley, this is for you."

Devon burst into song.

"The quaffle is tossed  
And there you are  
You're running for your life  
You're a flying star  
And all the years  
No one knows  
Just how hard you worked  
But now it shows...  
(in) one shining moment, it's all on the line  
One shining moment, there frozen in time  
But time is short  
And the road is long  
In the blinking of an eye  
Ah, that moment's gone  
And when it's done  
Win or lose  
You always did your best  
Cuz inside you knew...  
(that) one shining moment you reached deep inside  
One shining moment, you knew you were alive

Feel the beat of your heart  
Feel the wind in your face  
It's more than a contest  
It's more than a race...  
And when it's done  
Win or lose  
you always did your best  
Cuz inside you knew...  
(that) one shining moment, you reached for the sky  
One shining moment, you knew  
One shining moment, you were willing to try  
One shining moment."

"Wow, that was beautiful, Devon, "said Lily warmly as the others smiled.

"Guys, there is something I want to do tomorrow," said Devon as they walked off the pitch.

"What?" asked Lily.

"I want to visit the Room of Requirement tomorrow," said Devon clearly. "I really want to see my family tree. I know for a fact that no one with the last name of Dursley has ever attended Hogwarts or had magic. Ever since I arrived at Hogwarts I've simply assumed that no one even remotely related to the Dursley family has ever come to Hogwarts or had magic. We are a very old British family. But I've got to know for sure. The question is nagging me a bit. I'm 99% sure that no one even remotely related to family has ever been magical but I've got to know for sure."

"How about tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.?" suggested Lily kindly.

"That'll be perfect," said Devon, "What do you all think the % chances are that I have any family or relations, even remote family, that have had or do have magic."

"90%" said Ainsley, "Most muggleborns have at least had a magical ancestor even if it was hundreds of years ago."

"I agree with Ainsley," replied Stephanie, 'But as it's not totally unheard of for a witch or wizard to have literally no magical linage, I'll go with 80%."

"Tough to say," said Hugo, "Maybe 50%."

"20%," said Samantha, "Just by what we know of the history of the Dursley name and family I have a hard time imaging them having any magical relations."

"Bingo, Samantha," agreed James instantly, "In fact I'd go even lower, I'd say 10%."

"1%" said Lily, "I'm just as confident as you are that your family doesn't have and has never had any magical family or relations. I think it's an extreme longshot that you and your family have even remote magical connections. But you are doing the right thing in wanting to find out for sure."

The next afternoon around 2 p.m., James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily tagged along as Devon made his trek to the Room of Requirement.


	9. Devon's Discovery with Lily

Devon looked nervous as he approached the Room of Requirement.

"Don't let my family have any linage with dark wizards such as Voldemort or the Lestranges,," said Devon desperately, thinking of his yew wand.

"Devon," said Lily clearly, "Don't worry. We know you're a good person and we won't judge you by any family connections you may have."

"That's a promise," added James fiercely, "We all know you and who you really are and nothing we learn today can take away from that."

Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie all nodded their heads vigorously at this.

"Thanks," said Deon simply.

Devon ran past the wall 3 times thinking "I need to see my family tree with an indication of anyone who has magic."

The door to the Room of Requirement appeared.

Lily pulled the handle and held the door open for Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie before entering last herself.

When James had entered the room a neon circle had formed around him and now as Lily entered the room, a neon circle formed around her.

"It can't be," chorused James and Lily in disbelief.

"What can't be?" asked Devon, turning around to look at them.

"Well," said Lily slowly, "If a person asks the Room of Requirement to show him or her his or her family tree with the indication of anyone magic, a neon circle will form around any relations of his or hers that enter the room with him or her. That means, according to the Room of Requirement, James and I are related to you."

"That would also mean that our brother Albus is related to you as well.

"That's right." said Lily simply.

"Impossible!" said Devon breathlessly, "I'm going to go look at my family tree,"

Devon walked around the room towards his family tree. When he looked it over, he got an eye opener.

There were indeed neon glows on his family tree indicating that he did have magical relations. But it was who these magical relations were that was the real eye opener.

The Potters and the Dursleys were indeed related.

"James, Lily, please come here," called Devon quietly.

At being called to come forward, James and Lily realized that the Room of Requirement had been right. They and Devon must be related. But how?

"James, Lily," said Devon clearly, " We are related. Listen to me very carefully and pay attention."

"We will," promised James and Lily.

"James, Lily, our, paternal grandmothers were sisters. Petunia Dursley nee Evans was the sister of Lily Potter nee Evans," explained Devon.

"So that also means," said James slowly, "That Petunia was our great aunt and that Lily was your great aunt?"

"Yes," said Devon matter of factly," It also means that Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley are cousins since their mothers were sisters."

James and Lily said nothing. It was all starting to sink on them.

Devon continued.

"Harry and I are 1st cousins once removed and Dudley and you 2 are 1st cousins once removed. Dudley is also the 1st cousin once removed to Albus Severus Potter. A person is the 1st cousin once removed to the children of his or her cousins and the children of a person are the 1st cousins once removed to the cousins of that person."

"And us?' asked Lily eagerly.

"The children of cousins are 2nd cousins to each other. That means that I am 2nd cousins with you 2 and, Albus,," said Devon in an amazed voice.

"I-I d-don't know how to react," said Lily,

"Neither do I," admitted Devon, "The last thing I expected to find out when I came in here was that I was related to my best friend."

"We were both so confident that you wouldn't have _any_ magical relations," said Lily wryly.

"And I agreed with that," said James, "But I think us being related is kinda cool."

'This is an eye opener to be sure," said Devon, his mind buzzing with what he had discovered. "in a way it's kinda cool that we're related. But I don't how my relationship with Lily will proceed going forward. James, you and I have been good friends in our right but Lily is my BFF. Lily, you're the best friend I've ever had. To be honest, I think it's likely that I will continue to think of you primarily as my best friend. Our being 2nd cousins is something I'm happy to know but…."

"Sometimes friends are family and family are friends," said Lily clearly, "in my family we have long had 2 duos of people who could claim to be both cousins and best friends, Albus and Rose, and myself and Hugo. In Harry's Hogwarts years, Fred and George Weasley were best friends as much as twin brothers, a fact that made Fred's death so such more tragic. Our relationship actually won't be too affected by learning what we have learned today."

"You mean so much to me, Lily," said Devon warmly, "Ever since the day we met you've been as good a friend to me as anyone could ever want. Obviously you proved that when you helped me through my heartbreak over Petunia's death. But you know what moment means the most to me?"

"The day I helped you with your trunk the day we met?" guessed Lily.

"Exactly," said Devon, "Because it is in that moment that I realized I had potentially met the most special friend I would ever know. How many 11 year olds would take the time and effort to help a stranger like that? Not many."

"Ever since I started at Hogwarts," said James proudly, smiling at Lily, "Lily has always carried my trunk to my room for me whenever I've come home for summer and Christmas. She's done that same favor for Albus since he started at Hogwarts. "

"That sounds like you alright, Lily. You mean even more to me now that I know we are related. You're right Lily, being family and friends are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the most special relationships occur between people who are both to each other." said Devon sincerely.

"And now we know that we are," said Lily.

Devon, James, and Lily went and told Samantha, Hugo, Ainsley, and Stephanie what they had found.

"I already knew," admitted Ainsley. "I knew about the Potters and the Dursleys being related from having read all 7 books on the Hogwarts years of Harry Potter. But I didn't tell because I knew Devon, James, and Lily would prefer to discover this on their own accord. Since this was something personal to Devon, James and Lily, it was something that they deserved to be able to discover for themselves."

"I also have read the Harry Potter books and also knew," added Samantha.

"Thank you for holding your lounges, Ainsley and Samantha ," said Devon gratefully, "I appreciate you letting me find out in my own way."

"So do I," added James.

Lily nodded. "Same here," she said simply,

Before they left the Room of Requirement, Devon, James, and Lily found 4 books about the history of the Potter and Dursley families and the relations between them sitting on a table.

These books had warning letters explaining that the books contained sensitive and uncomfortable content.

Each of these books had a nametag: Lily, Devon, James, and Albus.

"Yes, Albus should know too," agreed Lily.

They left the Room of Requirement and returned to Gryffindor Tower where they found Albus discussing the latest issue of Transfiguration Today with Rose and Pamela.

Lily explained to Albus how The Potter and Dursley families were related and how Devon was their 2nd cousin. She passed the books that bore the appropriate nametags to Albus.

Lily, Devon, James, and Albus all promised each other not to share any discoveries they made in the books with anyone except each other until such time as they reached a group decision to do so.

James, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily would spend the 3 p.m. hour sitting by the Black Lake just quietly enjoying each other's company.

Things were rather quiet the rest of the day.

Later that night James, Devon, and Lily sat in their respective rooms just taking in the revelations of the day.

One thing that became clear in all of their minds was that the Potters and the Dursleys were never supposed to enemies.

The friendship between Devon and the Potters was not merely healing old wounds. It was righting a wrong.

They also thought about how special their bond was and how much it would mean going forward.

The line between family and friends didn't matter much.

Sometimes, friends were family, and family were friends.


	10. Stephanie's 2nd Shot at Hogwarts History

Devon, James, Albus, and Lily all came to an agreement over the next few days that they would starting reading the books together in January after the new term started.

They got an idea of what the letters warning of sensitive and uncomfortable content meant when they had opened the books to the table of contents and discovered that the 1st chapter was titled The Estrangement of Lily and Petunia Evans.

They figured it would probably take several months to get through the books and they wanted to be able enjoy all the major holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's with clear heads.

They would start reading the books on Sundays during the 2 p.m. hour in the Room of Requirement starting with the 1st Sunday of January after term started.

Life at Hogwarts went on normally.

As September faded into October, Care of Magical Creatures classes began.

There had been a delay in the start of this subject because of the process of Hagrid having to get the creatures for class approved.

On the 2nd Tuesday of October Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha and Stephanie had their 1st Care of Magical Creatures lesson with Hagrid.

"Alright, Lily?" called Hagrid as they approached the grass.

"Hi Hagrid," replied Lily.

Just then, the 1st year Slytherins arrived. Care of Magical Creatures was the 1st class the 1st year Gryffindors would be sharing with Slytherin. They shared Transfiguration and History of Magic with Ravenclaw and they shared Potions and Herbology with Hufflepuff. Charms, Flying, and Defense Against the Dark Arts were now single house courses.

"Damn!" swore Hugo loudly, "It sucks that we are with the damn Slytherins."

"You're as bad as Albus," Lily told Hugo, "Let's not judge an entire house of people before we get to know of them."

"Never forget, "said Hugo clearly, "That Slytherin was the house of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort."

" It's not fair to judge people of today on things that happened 2 decades ago," said Devon fiercely. "Lily is right. We should get to know some of the Slytherins of our time before we go badmouthing the whole house. Albus and Hugo both need to be more open minded."

Argument was averted as Hagrid came into view.

"Alright," said Hagrid welcome to yer 1st Care o Magical Creatures class. Today's lesson should be easy to understand but I don't how many of yeh will be able ter actually do it. I'm going to go retrieve the magical creatures."

Hagrid came back with a collection of brightly colored birds with vivid plunge. They came in 4 colors: pink, yellow, orange, and lime green. Beautiful song was emanating from these birds.

"Who can tell me what these birds are?" asked Hagrid.

"Fwoopers," pipped up Ainsley, who had the strongest interest in animals of any 1st year.

"Correct, Ainsley, 10 points ter Gryffindor. Now who can tell me why Fwooper song must be enjoyed in moderation?" asked Hagrid.

"Because too much Fwooper song will drive a listener to insanity," said Lily.

"Correct, Lily another 10 points to Gryffindor. Now you will each come and take 1 Fwooper. Your task for today is to silence the Fwooper using Silencing Charms. I know you've covered Silencing Charms in Charms class. Whoever does the best job of quieting down his or her fwooper will receive a slab of Honeydukes chocolate and a bottle of Budweiser as a reward. "

Predictably Lily picked a pink fwooper. Hugo, Devon, and Samantha opted for orange while Ainsley and Stephanie chose yellow. All Slytherins went for green.

They didn't get much of a chance to talk to the Slytherins during this particular class because the Fwooper task required their full attention.

Various voices cried out "Silenco!" at once as they all pointed their wands at their fwoopers.

As it transpired, Lily and Samantha tied for the best Silencing Charm as both were able to shut their fwoopers up completely,

As it turned out, Hagrid had anticipated the possibility of a tie and both Lily and Samantha were awarded a slab of Honeydukes chocolates and a bottle of Budweiser.

Samantha eagerly munched on her chocolate and sipped her Budweiser.

Lily, however, offered hers to Devon rather than consuming it herself.

"Thanks, Lily," said Devon as he accepted the chocolate and Budweiser from Lily and starting eating and drinking.

"According to Professor Flitwick," said Samantha between bites, "I have a gift for Silencing Charms because I have a beechwood wand. Apparently, beechwood is a wand wood that is highly compatible with both Silencing Charms and nonverbal spells. I'll be interested to see how my nonverbal spells are when we're old enough to try those."

"Samantha actually has the 1st wand Harry ever tried," Lily explained to Hagrid, "Beechwood and dragon heartstring. 9 inches. Nice and Flexible."

"That was a good 1st lesson," said Ainsley happily, "Fwoopers are so beautiful."

"My family has always been friendly with Hagrid," said Lily, "But I am glad he had to get the creatures approved."

"Yes," agreed Hugo, "A nice age appropriate lesson about a normal everyday magical creature and not a monster."

The next night, Lily, Samantha, and Ainsley had Quidditch practice. As they had done since practices had begun, James, Hugo, Devon, and Stephanie tagged along to support their family and friends on the team, a fact greatly appreciated by Lily, Samantha, and Ainsley.

As they sat down in the stands, they were surprisingly approached by Wesley.

"Baylac," called Wesley, "Can I have a word?"

"Yes," replied Stephanie simply.

"Well," said Wesley, "Ever since trails ended it has been clear to me that the 2 best Beaters in the entire school are Fred Weasley and yourself. I've been doing some thinking about that. Now, there is no requirement that a captain be an actual player and in fact I've read in more detailed editions of Quidditch Through the Ages of some who have not been. Now my job as captain is to give Gryffindor the best possible chance of winning the Quidditch Cup. As it's obvious to me that you are a better Beater than me, I would like to offer you a shot at earning my Beater spot."

"Seriously?" said Stephanie weakly.

"Baylac," said Wesley clearly, "I am NOT offering you this opportunity out of sensitivity or generosity I'm offering you this opportunity in the interests of the team because my job is to consider the best interests of the team."

"How can I win the position?" asked Stephanie eagerly.

'You will be taking my place in practice as a Beater tonight. If you perform the way I expect you to, I will give you my Beater spot. I would then stay on as captain, scheduling practices and looking after the performance of the team. But I would be a non-playing captain."

Wesley handed Stephanie a Nimbus 2000 and explained the situation to his team.

When the practice began, Hugo, James. and Devon focused their eyes on Stephanie, really hoping this 2nd chance would work out for her.

Even Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily would take an occasional 1 second break from their tasks to try to see how Stephanie was doing.

It couldn't be clearer that Stephanie would indeed win the job. She worked exceptionally well with Fred as a Beater tandem and in her own performance, she hit every bludger that came her way with great force and perfect timing, succeeding completely in keeping the bludgers away from her teammates.

At the end of the practice, after blowing his whistle to call the team down, he said, "It's a no brainer, Stephanie Baylac, welcome to the Gryffindor Quidditch team and congratulations."

"I've just become the 1st girl to ever make a Hogwarts Quidditch team at the Beater position," said Stephanie proudly as tears of joy and emotion came down her face. I want to thank Wesley for giving me this opportunity. "

"Stephanie! Stephanie! Stephanie!" chanted James , Hugo, Devon, Ainsley Samantha and Lily in unison. Fred, Roxanne, and Rachel also joined in the cheering.

After a minute of cheering, Hugo, Devon, James, Samantha and Lily all ran up to Stephanie.

"Stephanie, I'm so proud of you," said Samantha as she patted Stephanie on the back, "You just made Hogwarts history."

"And became teammates with Samantha, Lily, and me." said Ainsley happily, "Hi 5, Steph?"

Ainsley held out her right hand and Stephanie high 5ed it with her right hand.

"I couldn't be happier for Stephanie for what she has just accomplished," said Hugo warmly, "She flat out earned this place in the annuals of Quidditch at Hogwarts. Stephanie, I want to shake your hand."

Hugo stuck our his right hand and Stephanie shook it with her right hand.

"Earned is the key word," said Devon radiantly, "Hopefully the stereotype about girls not being cut out to play Beater will now be a thing of the past. I couldn't be prouder of Stephanie for breaking that barrier."

Devon messed up Stephanie's hair with his left hand and they all enjoyed a giggle.

"Stephanie," said James excitedly, "This means that I got to call your matches. To be to call matches where Hogwarts history will be made is a special privilege."

James stuck his left hand down the back of Stephanie's shirt and tickled her back.

"Thanks, everyone," said Stephanie warmly.

It was the support of James, Hugo and Devon that meant the most to her. That the 3 boys in her group of friends were just as proud of her and just as happy for her as her 3 female friends told her a lot about them.

"Stephanie, you deserve this moment," said Lily meaningfully. "You absolutely belong on this team and I'm delighted you now will be."

Lily gave Stephanie a pat on the back and Wesley called, "Next practice is next Wednesday at 7 p.m."

"Wesley," said Stephanie gratefully, "I want to thank you- "

"Don't thank me, thank yourself," responded Wesley, "I didn't give you this 2nd shot out of sympathy or kindness. This really was about what was best for the team."

Stephanie nodded and she, James, Devon, Hugo, Samantha, and Lily all walked back up to Gryffindor Tower together.

4 of the 7 were now on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and a 5th was Hogwarts Quidditch commentator.

Stephanie lay in bed that night just soaking in the fact that she had become the 1st girl to ever qualify for the Beater position at Hogwarts. She was so pleased to break through that barrier and she was glad Wesley had made it clear why she got this chance. She made Hogwarts history and had done so legitimately.

In her room, Lily was taking in what had happened that night.

She was so happy that Stephanie had been given the opportunity that she had and she was delighted that Stephanie was able to make Hogwarts history with that opportunity.

And the Quidditch lover in Lily thought about the team Gryffindor now had.

"We've got a great shot the Quidditch Cup this year," thought Lily to herself as she fell asleep.


	11. Halloween at Hogwarts and Hugo's Horror

On Halloween morning, Lily awoke to find that her normally hot pink bedsheets and pajamas were orange. Looking down at her feet, she saw that her slippers were now orange as well.

"Oh," said Lily to herself, "Everything's been bewitched to be orange for Halloween."

Taking inventory of her room, she saw that her comb, toothbrush, flip flops, and schoolbag had all changed from hot pink to orange as well. Even the Gryffindor patch on her school robes was now orange accented with black instead of its usual scarlet accented with gold.

When she went down to the common room, she was greeted with a chorus of "Happy Halloween," from Hugo, Devon, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha.

"Happy Halloween!" replied Lily happily. But she frowned when she saw that Hugo was clutching his left shoulder looking miserable.

"Hugo, are you okay?" asked Lily with concern in her voice.

"My shoulder hurts like hell," said Hugo in angst. "I'm going to try to enjoy Halloween though. If it still hurts like this tomorrow morning, I'll see the nurse."

"Okay," said Lily, "Do you all remember what your Hogwarts letters said about a different Halloween this year?"

"Yes," said Hugo, still in obvious pain. "We're going to have a whole Halloween themed day."

"Correct, said Lily eagerly , "The bewitching of the castle to make many objects appear orange was the 1st part of that."

"And after breakfast," said Stephanie excitedly, "We're supposed to have a Halloween themed Charms class where Professor Flitwick teaches us to make Jack o Lanterns."

"That should be fun," said Ainsley happily, "We can all put our own individual touches and creativity on our Jack O Lanterns."

"Excellent point, Ains," smiled Lily, "I can't wait what everyone comes up with."

"And," said James cheerfully, "After the feast, they're going to set up trick or treat stations for us in the Great Hall. Hogwarts students have never had the opportunity to get Halloween candy before so I'm excited about that too."

"Actually," Hugo reminded James, "You are supposed to give your Halloween candy to Lily after that bet you lost with her on the Quidditch European Championship match this past August."

"James and Lily had a bet on the Quidditch European Championships? "Devon asked Hugo curiously.

"Yes, I won a bet with James on the Quidditch European Championship match this August. I liked Spain to win and he liked Germany. Germany has great Chasers but I knew the Spanish Seeker was the best in the world. Spain met Germany in the title match. James offered me a bet. If Germany won, I would have to give him all of my Halloween candy at Hogwarts this year, if Spain won he would give me all of his Halloween candy at Hogwarts this year. We shook hands on it. Well, with Germany leading 140-0. The Spanish Seeker caught the snitch for a 150-140 win and the European Championship for Spain for 2019. So I won the bet," explained Lily with a grin.

"However, " added James, "Lily and I never did anything to make that bet binding and there are plenty of ways to do so both legally and magically. I am canceling that bet because it ultimately would be too big of a bummer for me to be in the Great Hall or Gryffindor Tower tonight and be the only 1 without candy."

"James," said Stephanie sharply, "You can't just cancel a bet because it didn't go your way. When you agree to make a bet you agree to abide by the trems of that bet whether you like the outcome or not."

"I guess you missed what I just told you about Lily and I not doing anything to make that bet binding," retorted James.

"James IS telling the truth here," said Lily firmly, "There ARE many ways we could have made that bet either legally binding or magically binding or both and we never did so."

"Lily," said James apologetically, "Look, I did you a disservice by not informing you of my decision to cancel our bet at an earlier date, especially since I've actually known for at least a couple of weeks that I ultimately would not be willing to give up my Halloween candy when it came to it. I apologize for failing to inform you of this decision in a more timely manner."

"It's totally fine, baby bro," said Lily cheerfully, "We're all good, buddy, Hi 5?"

Lily held up her left hand and James high 5ed it with his left hand.

"But how do you feel about James actually making the decision to cancel the bet?" Stephanie asked Lily uncomfortably.

"It's his decision and not mine," said Lily simply.

"Lily is always going to be the bigger person because that's who she is but I agree with Stephanie that James should honor the bet," said Hugo firmly, "It would be different if Lily had offered to forgive James of that bet or even if James had asked Lily to let him out of it and she had agreed to. But I don't like what has just transpired here."

"Especially since James is the older 1 in our circle and should be the more mature 1," added Stephanie, "People breaking promises is my biggest pet peeve and backing out of a bet is the equivalent of breaking a promise."

"A promise is not a contract, more like a plan," piped up Devon.

"Bingo," said James as Hugo and Stephanie shook their heads.

Lily said nothing. She would never back out of bet or break a promise but she would also never make a big deal of it if someone else did it to her.

"Ultimately, "said Ainsley wisely, "It's between James and Lily. If Lily doesn't have a problem with James making this decision then neither should anyone else."

That ended the discussion as everyone realized Ainsley was right. Stephanie still looked a bit put out though.

They all went down to Great Hall to discover that the tables and dishes were all orange as well.

The featured item at breakfast was pancakes with Halloween shapes cut into them. The Halloween themed pancakes had the shapes of bats, cats, and ghosts and a few had the word BOO! inscribed on them.

"These pancakes are super cool!" beamed Stephanie, "As a die hard Halloween fan these get my stamp of approval."

They _are_ pretty neat," added Samantha. "I especially like the BOO!" pancakes.

"The bat pancakes are pretty wicked!" exclaimed James.

"As a cat lover, these cat pancakes are bloody brilliant!" said Ainsley glowingly

"I love how Hogwarts has added these touches for Halloween this year," said Lily brightly, "Halloween offers a lot of potential and Hogwarts nailed it this year."

"They sure did," said Stephanie approvingly.

Of course, it would be Devon would actually eat the most, consuming 30 of the Halloween themed pancakes to go along with 5 jugs of Sunny Delight.

James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all ate 3 pancakes and drank 1 glass of Sunny Delight.

After breakfast, Lily, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie all headed down to Charms. Hugo's shoulder pain had now spread to his elbow. Lily was feeling deeply uneasy.

When they were all settled in Flitwick's room, they saw that 6 hollowed out pumpkins were sitting on their desks waiting for them.

"Today we are going to be using the Jack o Lantern Charm to create Jack O Lanterns for Halloween. Now, I have pre hollowed out these pumpkins. To Hollow out any object with magic is very difficult and requires a well-developed magical core. Even with accelerated classes, you still won't be covering how to hollow out objects by magic until your N.E.W.T. years. However, the Jack O Lantern Charm is an easy spell to perform well even at a young age so we're going to have some fun for Halloween. All you have to is point your wand at your hollowed out pumpkin and say "Jackify." while thinking of the form you want your Jack O Lantern to take. You don't have to focus that hard on it. As long as it's in your mind at all it will work. Since it is so easy, why don't you all just do it at once,"

Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily all pointed their wands at the pumpkins in front of them and cried "Jackify!"

Devon's Jack O Lantern took the shape of Hogwarts Castle.

"You really love being at Hogwarts, don't you Devon?" said Lily.

"I really do. I do still occasionally feel sad that I'll never see my old muggle friends Miles, Gary, and Todd ever again. But I tell you what; the day I got my Hogwarts letter and the day I came to Hogwarts have proven to be the 2 best days of my life."

"I'm glad you're happy to be here," said Lily warmly.

Ainsley's Jack O Lantern took the form of a cat. She had also put the word "MEOW" below the cat in all caps all block letters.

"You like cats, Ainsley?" asked Lily.

"I'm a great cat lover," explained Ainsley.

"And a cat is a great choice for Halloween," piped up a smiling Stephanie.

Stephanie had created a Quidditch themed Jack O Lantern using quaffles for eyes, a snitch for the nose, and a Beater's bat for the mouth.

Lily suddenly realized something as she looked at Stephanie's Jack O Lantern.

"Stephanie?" observed Lily, "The most common thing to see you wear when we don't have to wear our uniforms is Gryffindor Quidditch robes."

"Yes, I'm a huge Quidditch lover," confirmed Stephanie. "That made the results of my initial Beater trail hurt that much more. Still, all's well that ends well."

"I'm really glad to have you as a teammate," said Lily warmly as Stephanie smiled at her. "I'm a Quidditch lover too."

Samantha had given her Jack O Lantern two eyes made out of coal, a red nose that glowed, and had added a beard below the mouth.

It was Devon who correctly deciphered Samantha's Jack O Lantern.

"Samantha is a Christmas fan and has combined the holidays in making a Christmas themed Jack O Lantern," observed Devon.

"Yes," confirmed Samantha, "The eyes are those of Frosty the Snowman, the nose is that of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and the beard represents Santa.

"I'm a Christmas fan too," Devon told Samantha, "Oh by golly have a Holly Jolly Christmas this year!"

But it was the comparison of Hugo's and Lily's Jack O Lanterns that stood out the most.

Hugo had created a Jack O Lantern that showed a lion, badger, and eagle with a smile below them on the left hand side and a snake with a frown below it on the right hand side.

Lily, however, had done a quadrant Jack O Lantern with a lion in the upper left hand corner, a snake in the upper right hand corner, a badger in the lower left hand corner, and an eagle in the lower right hand corner. This was similar to the Hogwarts crest. But she didn't surround the houses symbols with the letter H. In its place she had inserted an = sign.

Predictably, the difference in Lily's and Hugo's Jack O Lanterns led to an argument about the houses.

"Really, Hugo, you do need to be more open minded," said Lily in, what was, for her, an unusually angry voice. "It's totally unfair of you to judge a whole house of people when we don't even know any Slytherins personally yet."

"You're the 1 who needs to keep sight of the fact that Slytherin was the house of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort," said Hugo in an equally angry voice.

"But it's not fair to judge people of today because of the actions of a few bad apples of the past. Voldemort and Bellatrix have been dead over 2 decades," argued Devon, taking Lily's side, "If Lily was as close minded as you apparently are, I wouldn't have my best friend at Hogwarts. I might not have any of you for my friends. Imagine how much different this year might be if Lily had wanted nothing to with me because of who my father was."

"There's a big difference between a merely mean person and a dark person," said Hugo, clinging firmly to his anti-Slytherin attitude."

"But the similarity," said Lily clearly, "Is that we shouldn't judge people based on past events without even getting to know any of them."

"I fear it may take a Slytherin doing some act of bullying or damage to you before you grasp how horrible Slytherin house is," said Hugo, wincing.

"I sincerely hope an act of kindness from (a) Slytherin(s) will open your eyes to being more open minded," said Lily fiercely.

"A Slytherin commit an act of kindness?" laughed Hugo, "It's more likely that Sirius Black and Severus Snape shared a lip to lip kiss in their 5th year at Hogwarts than it is that a Slytherin will ever perform an act of kindness."

"You'll be eating your words on that 1, Hugo,"" said Lily confidently.

When Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily left Charms they ran into James, who had Charms the hour after them. They didn't have much time to chat but James did say, "Those Jack O Lanterns are super cool. Lily's is far better than Hugo's though."

Lily smiled at James and Hugo glared at him as they passed him by. Lily appreciated James's open minded attitude.

Later at lunch, James joined them and they had black shell beef tacos and black bun hamburgers.

"I love seeing black get its due here" said Devon in a pleased voice, "Yes, orange is the primary Halloween color, but black is a Halloween color too and this lunch was clearly meant to acknowledge that,"

"Totally agree," said Stephanie the Halloween lover.

"Black is my favorite color," said James, "Because it's a color that represents boldness and I'm 1 of the boldest wizards alive today! You know what I did for my Jack O Lantern today? I performed a Color Change Charm to turn my pumpkin black before using a wand for a mouth, microphone top for a nose, and candy corns for eyes."

"That sounds cool baby bro!" smiled Lily."

"It was the epitome of cool," said James proudly.

"Orange hot sauce and black beef in a black shell," said Lily happily as she munched on her 1st taco, "The lettuce is still green and the tomatoes are still red,"

"So both Halloween colors and both Christmas colors," smirked Samantha as she bit into her 1st taco.

"The black buns on the burgers are super cool," added Devon.

Devon would eat 25 of the black shell tacos and 25 of the black bun hamburgers and wash them down with 5 bottles of Coca Cola Classic.

James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily each ate 1 black bun hamburger and 2 black shell tacos and drank 1 bottle of Coca Cola Classic.

Later in that day, Lily was very disappointed to see that her brother Albus had also produced an anti-Slytherin Jack O Lantern. He had made a Jack o Lantern that featured a snake with the no sign through it.

Lily said nothing to Albus as she passed him. Albus could have a hot temper and Lily was in no mood to provoke him.

Of greater concern to her was that by the time feast was approaching, Hugo's pain had extended through all of both his arms and legs. It was lucky that his hands and feet still felt okay, but Lily knew Hugo might have to see the nurse that night.

When they entered the Great Hall for the feast, the celling had been bewitched with floating Jack O Lanterns and bats were swooping around above.

There was nothing particularly notable about the feast itself as it was pretty much like Hogwarts feasts of the past.

After the feast, each of the 4 house tables had 4 trick or treat stations set up at them. Each student was given a sturdy orange bag with an embroidered black cat on it to carry their candy.

"Wow, these are awesome bags," said Ainsley, who loved the black cat embroiderment.

"We get to keep the bags too! "said Stephanie brightly, "A souvenir from Halloween if you will,"

"Another win for this Halloween," smiled Lily.

The students were instructed to form a line. James, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily wound up towards the back of the line. They would start at the Gryffindor table.

The Gryffindor table featured muggle chocolates such as 3 Musketeers, Snickers, Old Faithful bars, and even had some unbranded chocolate pumpkins. The Hufflepuff table featured muggle non chocolates, SweeTarts, gummy bears, Dots and, of course, Skittles. The Ravenclaw table featured wizarding non chocolates such as Licorice Wands, Sugar Quills, Ice Mice, and of course, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. The Slytherin table featured wizarding chocolates such as Chocolate Frogs, Honeydukes slabs, and special unbranded chocolate Jack O Lanterns that actually made scary noises.

After collecting their candy, James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all walked back to Gryffindor Tower together.

1ce they were inside, it was James who spoke 1st.

"I'm a huge marshmallow and chocolate lover," said James eagerly, "Let's try the Old Faithful bars 1st."

James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all pulled their Old Faithful bars out their bags and unwrapped. They all their 1st bite at the same time and while they all liked them, it was James who exclaimed, "Old Faithful is the best candy bar ever."

"I say we eat the chocolate pumpkins, both magical and muggle, tonight. They will be a bit obsolete after tonight and everything else is everyday candy," said Ainsley matter of factly.

James, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily all agreed to this.

And it seemed most of Gryffindor had the same idea.

Fred and Roxanne had pulled out their muggle chocolate pumpkins and were munching away on them.

Albus, Rose, and Pamela all had gone for the magical version of the chocolate pumpkin 1st.

As they had had a feast that night, most of them managed to eat only the chocolate pumpkins, both muggle and magical.

By the time the they had decided to put away their candy bags for the night, Hugo's pain had spread to his stomach and back. Only his hands and feet, and face were unaffected.

"Hugo, you've got to see the nurse tonight," said Devon urgently.

"Hugo," said James desperately, "Listen to Devon. You can't put this off anymore. You've got to go set it taken care of now."

"You really do," added Lily in a firm voice, "Wait any longer and-"

Lily could not bring herself to finish the sentence.

"Ainsley, could you please conjure up a stretcher for us to carry Hugo to the hospital wing in?" asked Lily urgently.

Ainsley conjured a stretcher for Hugo and Lily gently laid him in it. Hugo screamed a piercing scream when Lily had touched him.

James, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all followed Hugo to the hospital wing. Also coming along out of great concern for Hugo's well-being were his sister Rose and cousins Albus, Fred, and Roxanne. Pamela Patil also came along to support Hugo,

They all had tears in their eyes as they saw how their friend/cousin/brother was suffering.

Madam Pomfrey transferred Hugo from his stretcher to a bed.

"Mr. Weasley," said Madam Pomfrey clearly, "I am going to check in with St. Mungo's at once. I am going to bring a fully trained Healer here to look at you. My job is mainly to look after Quidditch, creature, falling, and fighting injuries. Something of this magnitude requires a fully trained Healer."

Madam Pomfrey used the Floo Network to reach St. Mungo's and returned through the Floo Network with an averaged sized averaged heighted woman with golden brown hair and green eyes.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley, "said the Healer kindly, "My name is Healer Amy Cochlain."

"Cochlain?" said Hugo, looking over at Ainsley

"Yes," nodded the Healer, "I am Ainsley's mother. Now, tell me about when your pain started and how you've been feeling since."

After listening to Hugo's explanation of how his pain had started in his left shoulder and gotten progressively worse and spread rapidly that day and doing some basic diagnostic spells with her wand, Healer Cochlain delivered a grave diagnosis.

"Mr. Weasley, you have Sapavetius," said Healer Cochlain tonelessly. "Sapavetius is a rare magical bug that starts in the shoulder and quickly encases the body in pain. It should be noted that Sapavetius causes no health or safety problems or risks. It does, however, make the victim's life a living hell. In many cases, victims of Sapavetius have died from loss of the will to live. A fair few have stopped eating. Sapavetius is actually considered a deadly disease for that reason. There is a cure for Sapavetius, however, though it's not often available."

'What is the cure?" Hugo asked Healer Cochlain at once.

"The only known antidote to Sapavetius is...


	12. The Light Magic of the Yew Wand

But Healer Cochlain had noticed that Lily's head had drooped.

"Miss Potter, are you okay/" asked Healer Cochlain kindly.

"No, she isn't, "answered James at once, "Lily won't be okay until Hugo is. And there's no way to explain it to you. Only someone who has seen Lily's and Hugo's relationship up close can really understand what they mean to each other."

Lily nodded.

"There is hope," said Healer Cochlain, "But you've got to hear me out here. Mr. Weasley can be cured but it will be a VERY painful process for him. The procedure to cure Sapavetius is more painful than the Cruciatus Curse, Kidney Stones, and Sapavetius itself combined multiplied by 100. Now, considering what we know about Sapavetius, simply doing nothing would result in the likelihood of Mr. Weasley losing his will to live. Mr. Weasley has 2 options here. He can choose to be put down and end his suffering now. Or he can choose to undergo the procedure to be cured. Mr. Weasley, you should be aware that if you wish to be cured, you will have to endure MUCH worse pain than you feel now before you get better."

"So, the question I have to ask myself is this; is it worth going through all that pain to have my life saved?" pondered Hugo.

"Hugo," encouraged James, "Please fight, please be brave. Find that last drop of courage within yourself that you didn't realize you had. And think about Lily. Think about how devastated Lily will be if you die. Think what it would mean to Lily to lose you. If you don't want to fight for yourself, then fight for Lily and think about what you mean to her."

Somehow, James had said exactly what Hugo needed to hear to get his fighting spirit going.

Hugo looked Lily in the eyes and said, "To my closest cousin and BFF, I will never leave you. I will persevere and I will persevere for you. If it was just about saving my life for myself and nothing more, I might have chosen to be put down. But I can't make that choice. It would be way too selfish of me to just give up and leave you behind with a broken heart and more grief than you could imagine. I must do this for you. But what must happen for me to be cured?"

"The cure to Sapavetius requires no spellwork and no pills or potions. But it does require a wand. A very specific type of wand. The antidote to Sapavetius is yew."

For a moment, James, Lily, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and especially Devon sat stunned.

Then Devon suddenly blurted out "I'VE GOT A YEW WAND!"

"That is most fortunate, Mr. Dursley, "said a relived looking Healer Cochlain. "Yew wands are relatively rare. But it looks like you and your yew wand will have to be the ones to save Mr. Weasley."

Devon was shaking and broke down crying.

"All t-this t-time I've been s-so worried that m-my y-yew wand would c-cause me to go b-bad because I knew that Lord Voldemort h-had a y-yew wand. And now…"trailed off Devon.

"Didn't we tell you that powerful wands could be used for good too," said Ainsley gently.

"And that Voldemort had given yew a bad name," added Lily "But that-

"Hang on!", said Devon suddenly, "Hugo has predicted a few times that my yew wand would 1 day save the life of a family member or friend of mine. And now _he's_ the friend whose life will be saved by my yew wand."

"Fate works in funny ways," said Albus, "Maybe Hugo was meant to get Sapavetius so that Devon could learn to appreciate the truth about his yew wand."

"Well then, "said Healer Cochlain, "You all know of course that the wand chooses the wizard."

Everyone nodded.

"Then you'll understand that it will have to be Mr. Dursley himself that performs the procedure, "explained Healer Cochlain, "The way it will have to work is this; Mr. Dursley, you will have to press your wand hard into each area of Mr. Weasley's person that is in pain. You will have to hold each press for 10 seconds. Upon each press, Mr. Weasley's pain will multiply substantially as I previously explained. But once the yew has done its job the pain in that particular area will go away completely."

Everyone had some tears in his or her eyes at realizing just how pain Hugo was going to endure.

"If I could, "said Lily sadly, "I would transfer all of the pain that Hugo is enduring now and will have to endure to get better onto myself instead. I can't stand seeing my best friend there in so much pain. AND HUGO NEVER DID ANYTHING TO DESREVE THIS!" vented Lily.

"But at least some good will come out of it," said Ainsley reasonably, "Devon will now get to have peace about his yew wand."

"That is something worth having happen," admitted Lily, "But I wish, I wish this would have happened to me instead of poor Hugo."

At this, Lily broke down completely and seemed incapable of talking any more.

"Healer Cochlain?" asked Hugo, "Would it be possible for me to get a night of bed rest before Devon performs the procedure?"

"It would be better if you did," said Healer Cochlain, "It will be best if you are in a calm state when Mr. Dursley performs this procedure. Let's go you a Dreamless Sleep Potion."

While Healer Cochlain went to retrieve the Dreamless Sleep Potion, Lily felt an unbearable weight of guilt bubbling up in her chest. Hugo had told her at the very start of the day that his left shoulder "hurt like hell."

"This is mostly my fault," piped up Lily after a few minutes, "If only I would have made Hugo come here when it was only his left shoulder hurting, I would have saved him from most the pain Sapavetius has caused him and will cause him. Sometimes being a good friend means forcing a friend to do something that he or she doesn't want to do or would rather wait to do because the importance of a situation calls for it. I didn't do that. I wasn't a very good friend today. I let Hugo down."

But Lily did not cry after saying this. If anything, she looked more peaceful after she had finished saying it.

Hugo opened his mouth to answer, but at that nanosecond, Healer Cochlain returned with a Dreamless Sleep Potion for Hugo.

Hugo drank the entire bottle and feel asleep at once.

To the delight of James, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, Lily, Fred, Roxanne, Albus, Rose, and Pamela. Hugo would get a great night of peaceful sleep that night.

When Hugo awoke the next morning, while it was obvious his pain had worsened, it was also clear that getting a good night of quality sleep had great improved his spirits.

"Good morning," said Hugo brightly the next morning as he saw everyone gathered around his bed, "It warms my heart to see you all gathered around me in support."

Everyone nodded uncomfortably, knowing what was to come.

Healer Cochlain had arranged for some bacon sandwiches and pumpkin juice to be sent up to the hospital wing so they could eat breakfast there. This setup prevented Devon from eating his usual humungous portions as there only enough food for everyone to eat normal portions.

After they had eaten, Healer Cochlain said, "The hour has arrived. Mr. Dursley, please take out your wand."

Devon took his wand out of his schoolbag and approached Hugo's bed.

"Mr. Weasley, you will need to stand up," ordered Healer Cochlain.

Hugo stood up and Healer Cochlain instructed Devon to begin his task by pressing his yew wand into Hugo's left shoulder.

Hugo screamed in agony as Devon pressed his wand onto the prescribed area.

Lily burst into heavy tears but resolutely continued to watch. This would hold true throughout the procedure.

After 10 seconds, Hugo's screaming suddenly stopped.

"Is your left shoulder healed then?" Healer Cochlain asked Hugo.

"It feels great," smiled Hugo, "it worked just like you said it would."

Devon continued the process on Hugo's right shoulder.

Again, Hugo gave that piercing scream when Devon's wand had been pressed onto and again he fell silent after 10 seconds.

"It's going well, "observed Ainsley.

"Yew has powerful magical healing properties," explained Healer Cochlain, "That's why this process is able to work the way it works."

Devon would repeat the process on each of Hugo's body parts with the same consistent result each time as Lily struggled but forced herself to watch.

But when it was all over, Hugo piped up, "I'm good as new!"

"That's wonderful!" said Healer Cochlain.

Looking around at Lily, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, James, Fred, Roxanne, Albus, Rose and Pamela, Hugo said sincerely, "I want to thank of you for your outpouring of support and for all standing by me through this difficult time. I've never felt more loved than I do now."

Everyone got a little misty eyed at this.

"Healer Cochlain, thank you for work in diagnosing me. James, thank you for encouraging me to pull through and making me see why it was so important that I do so. Devon, thank you for saving me. And Lily…."

Hugo walked up to Lily and gave her the tightest hug any of them had ever seen.

"This is why you had to pull through, Hugo," said James with a smile.

"I'm so happy you made it, Hugo," said Lily emotionally as she let go. "And thanks to Healer Cochlain, James, and Devon for helping Hugo through this."

"I couldn't let you lose Hugo, Lily," said James fiercely, 'I knew what he needed was encouragement."

Lily and Hugo both smiled at James.

Devon, meanwhile, looked down at his yew wand and said "Thanks, yew, for saving Hugo. I guess you were the right wand for me after all."

James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephane and Lily were all very pleased to hear this. 'They were glad to know that Devon now understood that his powerful wand could be a tool of good and that it could and would be a part of his being a good person.

Hugo felt great. The cure had worked perfectly and he was back to himself.

Lily smiled as she thought about what had transpired that morning. Everything had gone as well at it could, Hugo had his health back and Devon's worst fears had been squashed in the process.

The destruction of Devon's fears regarding having a yew wand was a definite silver lining in it all. When all was said and done, everything turned okay for everyone.

Something settled into Lily's heart at that moment.

And suddenly, Lily knew without knowing how she knew it that something wonderful was going to happen in the days ahead.


	13. Like Father Like Daughter

To Lily's great delight, the most noticeable piece of aftermath to come out of Devon and his yew wand saving Hugo (apart from Devon's fears about having a yew wand being alleviated) was that Hugo and Devon became much closer with each other.

James, Hugo, and Lily had all always been close and James and Lily had developed strong bonds with Devon since they met him.

But Hugo and Devon had been more distant. They got along fine, but didn't feel very close to each other.

But Devon and his yew wand saving Hugo had naturally bonded them far more tightly.

James,, Devon, Hugo, and Lily had all become closer to each other since Hugo's recovery.

They valued their friends with Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie, but they indisputably close knit with each other.

Samantha was highly critical of this.

"James, Hugo, Devon, and Lily, you 4 are way too attached to each other," Samantha told them on more than 1 occasion, "Being emotionally attached to other people is the greatest weakness a person can have. What if 1 of you dies? Or even has to move away at some point? People who become emotionally attached to other people are setting themselves up for grief and sadness."

James, on the other hand, strongly took the opposite view.

"Close knit relationships with family and friends, love, and affection are the most meaningful and valuable things in life." said James fiercely.

"Absolutely, James," agreed Devon, "Those are things that make life worth living."

"And," said Lily meaningfully, "The bond between myself and Hugo played a role in saving Hugo."

"A big role," added Hugo, "I had more strength to push through because I was fighting for you and not just myself."

Next nanosecond, James, Devon, Hugo, and Lily exchanged hugs that seemed to go on for hours.

During Quidditch practices. James, Hugo, and Devon would all sit in the stands together supporting their family and friends on the team, cheering on Lily particularly hard.

James, a self-proclaimed Quidditch expert, was impressed watching the Gryffindor team play and loved their chances against Slytherin.

On the morning of the Gryffindor-Slytherin match, Saturday, November 9th, 2019, it was bitterly cold.

In fact, the air temperature was 26 below 0, more than 10 degrees colder than the infamous "Ice Bowl" between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers in Green Bay on New Year's Eve 1967 had been. To make matters worse, the wind chill was 56 below 0, almost as bad as the infamous "Freezer Bowl," between the San Diego Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals in the 1981 AFC Championship game.

Lily, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie, Fred, Roxanne, and Rachel had all come to down to breakfast with their Quidditch robes already on so they wouldn't have to change before the match.

Joining them at breakfast were Hugo, Devon, and James.

"Good luck today, Lily, "said James, smiling at Lily, "I know you're going to make our family proud."

'Thanks, James," said Lily warmly, "I'm excited to have you calling my 1st match. Not many players get to have their brother calling their matches. I'm also glad that a true Quidditch lover is our commentator."

Rachel. Meanwhile, was looking down at Lily's feet and she had to ask, "Lily, why are you still wearing flip flops when it's this bitterly cold outside, knowing you will be playing a Quidditch match outside today?"

"I never wear any footwear other than flip flops or slippers because I just don't like to wear socks or shoes, "answered Lily simply.

No one actually on the team ate much breakfast. Pretty much a piece of toast and a glass of orange juice each. All of them were too nervous to eat very much.

About 15 minutes till match time, the team met Wesley in the locker room and Hugo and Devon found seats in the stands.

"Now, I shouldn't have to say much," said Wesley to his team, "Just do what you've been doing in practice and we'll win."

The circumstance of Wesley being a nonplaying captain had become a big plus for the team as he had been free to focus on game planning and observing his team. Having mostly liked what saw during practice, he had mostly just encouraged them to keep doing what they had been doing.

When Lily, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie, Fred, Roxanne, and Rachel emerged from the locker room, the cold and wind were so piercing that they all felt as though they had been stabbed with 100 knives at once.

But no one complained. They knew they had a game to win and that their minds needed to be focused on winning and not weather.

Madam Macavoy was refereeing the match. Megan Nash, a short dark haired Slytherin 4th year, would face off with Ainsley Cochlain to start the match. Madam Macavoy tossed the quaffle into the air to start the match.

Ainsley controlled the quaffle 1st. Deciding she wanted to open the match with a bang, Ainsley shot the quaffle from mid pitch towards the right Slytherin hoop. It went in cleanly, as the Slytherin Keeper had drifted too far left.

"Ainsley Cochlain scores! 10 points to Gryffindor!" announced James happily as cheers erupted from the Gryffindors.

At Ainsley's score, Lily did a few loop the loops before returning to searching for the snitch.

As Slytherin took possession of the quaffle, it was clear their Chasers had some talent. Megan Nash, Natalie Bortles, and Nicole Hafner worked together as a seamless team. Their passing and hand eye coordination was superb.

But unfortunately for them-

"Bortles with the Quaffle, looking for Hafner ahead of her, oh a perfect pass to Hafner who shoots. SAVED BY SAVER! That was bloody brilliant! Saver knocked the quaffle away at the last nanosecond with only her fingernail.!"

"I'm the best damn Keeper in the world!" boasted Samantha after the fingertip save. "Gryffindor is so lucky to have me as Keeper!"

"Gryffindor takes possession of the quaffle, Weasley with it. Little toss ahead to Cochlain. The Slytherins all converge on Cochlain. She spots Robins wide open down field. Cochlain throws it downpitch to Robins. Robins with a close shot. YES! Rachel Robins scores! Gryffindor leads 20-0."

More cheers came from the Gryffindors.

"Bortles in possession, throws it to Hafner, and Weasley of Gryffindor belts a bludger at Hafner, Hafner drops the quaffle and it's picked up by Cochlain. They all surround Cochlain again. Cochlain with a close grip tosses it to Robins. Robins with a quick 2nd pass to Weasley. Weasley from 12 feet. GOOD! Roxanne Weasley scores! Gryffindor leads 30-0.

Hugo led the Gryffindor cheers after cousin Roxanne's goal.

"Slytherin in possession. Bortles hands it off to Nash. Nice swerve moves by Nash. Nash shoots. SAVER HAS SAVED ANOTHER 1!"

"I'll always save them all!" said Samantha cockily.

This pattern pretty much kept for another 8 minutes until Gryffindor was leading 160-0. Ainsley had managed only 1 more goal after her initial score. But, showing she was a team player, she took advantage of the Slytherins double and triple teaming her to create scoring opportunities for Rachel and Roxanne. And though Nicole, Natalie, and Megan proved adept at passing and handling the quaffle, they were unable to get a single shot past the focused, determined, and skilled Keeper that was Samantha Saver.

About 10 minutes into the match, Lily spotted the snitch in descent. She leaned forward to prepare her broom towards the ground.

But as she slowed down, the Slytherin Seeker, Phillip Edgecombe, attempted to knock Lily off her broom by intentionally slamming into her as hard as he could with both his body and his broom.

"I hope you break your neck, girl," said Phillip nastily as he saw Lily start to slip.

But luckily, Lily had every skill in the world when it came to both brooms and balance. She managed to maintain her grip and remain on her broom.

However, a bludger had come pelting towards her as she had stopped to gather herself. Fortunately, Stephanie was on the scene and she hit the bludger as hard as she could with her bat away from Lily.

As Lily neared the ground, she had somehow gotten the snitch in her mouth.

Landing as gracefully as 1 can land while wearing flip flops, Lily then spit the snitch into her hand.

"LILY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNICTH!" exclaimed James with a mixture of exhilaration that Gryffindor had won and pride that his sister had performed so well in her 1st match, "GRYFFINDOR WINS! Lily Potter caught the snitch in her mouth and spit it into her hand, just as Harry Potter did in his 1st match! Like father like daughter eh!"

Lily felt shaken after Phillip had tried to whack her off her broom but she was grinning ear to ear about how she had won her 1st match.

"This is surreal," said Lily emotionally, "I can't believe that I won my 1st match in the exact same way Harry won his 1st match! Like father like daughter indeed."

"Hey, Lily!' said Devon as he came over to her and high 5ed her, "I'm really impressed. Not many people could have stayed on that broom!"

"So true!" agreed Hugo as he also high 5ed Lily, "And hopefully this will open Lily's eyes to the horrible nature of Slytherin house. They deliberately tried to hurt her!"

"Phillip Edgecombe deliberately tried to hurt me," said Lily calmly, "He is not all Slytherins."

James came over from the commentator's area.

"Lily, I couldn't be prouder of you," said James as he gave his sister a hug, "You were amazing out there. It was the best performance I've seen from any Seeker in a Hogwarts match since I've been here and to do it under such adverse conditions. The cold. That asshole wanting to injure you. You kept your cool and you followed in Harry's footsteps. And please don't judge all Slytherins by the actions of 1. Fred and I have some decent friends in Slytherin house, Megan among them."

"You were wonderful behind the mic," Lily told James, "Your excitement was contagious. And I'll never forget your call of how I got the snitch in this game. And thank you for having a fair minded view of Slytherin house."

Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie came over smiling at Lily with their faces glowing.

"Wow, Lily," said Stephanie in awe. "To stay on that broom-

At that nanosecond, 2 players from the Slytherin team came over in Megan Nash and Beater and captain Ernie MacMillan Jr., a 6th year who was the spitting image of his father.

"Lily, are you okay? "asked Megan kindly.

"I'm a bit shaken but I'm not hurt," said Lily softly.

"Lily, here, "said Megan, taking a slab Honeydukes chocolate out of her pocket, "Eat this, you'll calm down and feel better."

"Thanks, Megan," said Lily gratefully as she took her 1st bite of the chocolate, which did calm her down.

"Lily," said Ernie formally, "Look, I'm really sorry about what my Seeker tried to do to you. There's NO place for that in Quidditch or any sport. We don't need a Quidditch version of Bountygate. Know that I will be removing Phillip Edgecombe from this team. "

"Thanks for reaching out to me, Megan, Ernie, "said Lily softly. "And good luck the rest of the year."

"Lily," said Ernie firmly, "No one should have to worry about another player trying to injure him or her while playing Quidditch. Phillip won the Slytherin Seeker tryout fair and square but if I had known he would do this-

"Ernie, it wasn't your fault," said Lily firmly,

"As team captain of Slytherin, my players are my responsibility," said Ernie, "And removing the sleezeball Edgecombe from my team is the only appropriate course of action."

When Megan and Ernie had left, Lily turned to Hugo.

"See how Ernie and Megan were decent people," Lily pointed out to Hugo.

"I wouldn't have expected that out of Slytherins. Maybe I have been too closed minded," said Hugo uncertainly. "But Edgecombe was horrible. Yet Ernie and Megan were classy. I don't what to think. But maybe I need to rethink this."

Lily was glad to hear this. Hugo's mind didn't seem totally changed but Lily saw there was a start to getting Hugo to change his attitude towards Slytherins.

"Hey, Lily," suggested James, "Harry will be delighted when he learns how you won your 1st Hogwarts Quidditch match. I suggest you keep the snitch. We can hang it up in the trophy room at Potter Manor."

"I will." said Lily radiantly. "To have won my very 1st match in the same way Harry won his 1st match is a beautiful and special thing. This is a moment to savored and saved. "

And suddenly, every Gryffindor burst out chanting, "Lily, Lily, Lily"

Lily smiled and took it all in. Everyone on the team had done great but today was clearly hers and everyone was happy for her for it to be.

That night, as Lily lay in her bed, a feel of pure satisfaction and contentment filled her heart.

With her brother calling the match, Lily had won her 1st Quidditch match exactly as Harry had won his 1st match. To Lily, this was a joy to behold.

Like father, like daughter.


	14. Lily and Hugo Plan a Suprise for Devon

On Thursday, November 14th, 2019, Lily spotted a notice pinned up on the message boards in the Gryffindor common room.

The message read: Thursday, November 28th, 2019, Hogwarts will celebrate Thanksgiving for the 1st time. A Thanksgiving feast will be held in the Great Hall at 1 p.m. Traditional Thanksgiving fare such as turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and pumpkin pie will be served. After the feast a makeshift parade featuring some floats and balloons will take place on the sweeping lawns.

This made Lily smile. Lily had been disappointed when James's letters home to her when he was a 1st year had mentioned that Hogwarts hadn't done anything for Thanksgiving, She had asked Harry and Ginny if Hogwarts had done anything for Thanksgiving when they were students and when the answer was no she turned to Hogwarts, a History. She had been very disappointed to discover that the book's section om holidays at Hogwarts made no indication of Thanksgiving whatsoever.

Adding a Thanksgiving celebration this year was, in Lily's eyes, the correction of 1 of Hogwarts greatest oversights over the years.

Thinking about Thanksgiving day, Lily was struck with a sudden idea.

Later that night around 11:30 p.m., she went into Hugo's room.

"Hugo," asked Lily quietly, "Can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Yes," said Hugo simply.

"Let's go to the Room of Requirement and ask it to keep other people out while we talk." said Lily clearly.

"Okay," agreed Hugo and he and Lily set off for the Room of Requirement.

"Hugo and I need a place to talk undisturbed," said Lily clearly as she walked past the wall 3 times.

The door to the Room of Requirement appeared. Lily pulled the handle and held the door for Hugo and entered behind him. As she shut the door, they both heard a distinct locking sound.

"Alright, Lily," asked Hugo mysteriously, "What's on your mind?"

"Actually, I want to talk about Devon," said Lily matter of factly.

"What about him?" asked Hugo.

"You know how Devon has occasionally expressed sadness that he will never see his old friends from his muggle elementary school again?" mentioned Lily.

"Yes," replied Hugo, "I've always admired his honesty about that. He whole-heartedly believes he made the right decision in accepting his invite to Hogwarts and he cherishes his life and friends here. But he readily acknowledges what the cost of that decision was."

"Well, I want to give him the opportunity to see his muggle friends again," said Lily softly.

"How could we do that?" asked Hugo in a confused voice.

"Here's what I propose," said Lily, "We will talk to Professor McGonagall. We will ask her if she can talk to Dudley and see if he can make arrangements for Miles, Gary, and Todd to come to Hogwarts for Thanksgiving. Muggles can get into Hogwarts if a witch or wizard escorts them in. They could gather at the Dursley household and Professor McGonagall could bring them to Hogwarts for the day using side-along apparition. This would give Devon a day with his old friends and maybe they could make arrangements then to meet up again in the future."

"And you wanted to talk about this in private because you want it to be a surprise for Devon?" guessed Hugo.

"Yes," confirmed Lily. "What do you think of the idea?"

"I like the idea but I have a concern," said Hugo.

"That's why I wanted to run it by you before going to McGonagall," said Lily, "In case there was some complication I hadn't thought of."

"Well," said Hugo slowly, "You know that Devon attended an all boys elementary school. Well, boys raised in such environments can develop sexist male superiority attitudes. I'm worried about the possibility that Miles, Gary, and Todd may have some of this sexist attitude. I'm concerned about how they would treat you, Samantha, Ainsley and Stephanie if they came here. I'm also uneasy about how they might treat Devon if they find out 4 of his 6 best friends at Hogwarts are girls. That issue has to be addressed if we are going to arrange for Miles, Gary, and Todd to come to Hogwarts.

"That is a legitimate concern," admitted Lily, "Nothing good comes out gender segregation. Alright, when we talk to McGonagall I will mention this issue. I will request that McGonagall talk with Miles, Gary, and Todd, and make it clear that 4 out of Devon's 6 closest Hogwarts friends are girls and that they are to treat Devon's female friends with as much respect as they do each other and Devon himself and that that is a condition of them coming to Hogwarts for Thanksgiving."

"Okay, I suppose as long as we make sure in advance that Devon's old friends are committed to treating all of his Hogwarts friends with respect when they come here then I guess it should be okay," said Hugo

"I hadn't thought about that issue," acknowledged Lily, "Of course, if any such issue were to come up, I know how fiercely Devon would defend me and the other girls. He has a fierce anti sexism attitude."

"When do we talk to Professor McGonagall?" asked Hugo simply.

"Tomorrow before breakfast," said Lily clearly, "We will get up at 5 a.m. and go to the head's office."

That next morning, Hugo and Lily went to the head's office and at 5:30 a.m. after showering, brushing their teeth and dressing.

"Potter, Weasley, to what do I owe this early pleasure?" exclaimed McGonagall breathlessly when Hugo and Lily entered her office.

"Lily had an idea last night and we need your help to execute it. It's about our friend Devon," said Hugo matter of factly, "Devon has, from time to time, expressed sadness over the fact he will never see his 3 close friends from his muggle elementary school, Miles Munson, Gary Coates, and Todd Murray, ever again. Lily wishes to give Devon an opportunity to see his old friends again by arranging for them to attend Thanksgiving at Hogwarts this year. They would only be here for the 1 day."

Professor McGonagall felt a tear flow down her cheek. She was very touched by what Lily wanted to do for her friend.

"Miss Potter is a wonderful friend," smiled McGonagall, "How is my assistance required?"

"What we need from you," said Hugo clearly, "Is to contact Dudley and see if he can make arrangements with the parents of Miles Munson, Gary Coates, and Todd Murray to allow them to spend Thanksgiving day at Hogwarts. You would go collect them on Thanksgiving and bring them to Hogwarts via side-along apparition. As they are muggles, Miles, Gary and Todd will only be able to enter Hogwarts via a witch's or wizard's escort."

"I will try," promised McGonagall, "If I am able to make the arrangements I will send your head of house, Professor Longbottom, to the Dursley's on Thanksgiving morning to collect Mr. Dursley's friends as I will be too busy that morning to leave Hogwarts even for short periods."

"Don't tell him I've planned this," added Lily urgently, I want it to be a surprise."

"IF I am successfully able to arrange for Mr. Dursley's friends to come to Hogwarts for Thanksgiving, I will give you 2 a subtle thumbs up." explained Professor McGonagall."

"There are 2 things we want to make sure of," said Lily firmly," I want the moment to be right. I don't want Devon to find out his friends have come here for Thanksgiving by wandering into them. Any ideas, Hugo?"

"Well, "said Hugo confidently, "The best idea would be for the side-along apparition to occur directly into the Great Hall just before the feast. I also think it would be good to bring them 1 at a time. In that way Devon and each of his 3 old friends could have a 1 on 1 moment when each of them arrives and also build up that meaningful emotional crescendo where Devon will be happy to see each of his friends individually and then have it sink at the end how all 3 of them have come."

"That's absolutely perfect, Hugo," said Lily happily.

"There is 1 other issue," said Hugo in a crystal clear voice, "Devon attended an all boys elementary school and sometimes being in that type of environment breeds sexism and male superiority attitudes. Lily and I want you to make sure that Miles, Gary, and Todd all understand that 4 out of Devon's 6 closest Hogwarts friends are girls and these girls are to be treated with the same level of the respect that they would treat Devon himself and each other as well make sure they won't see Devon any differently for having several female friends at Hogwarts."

"I will contact Dudley Dursley tonight and have him arrange for Miles, Gary, and Todd to meet up at the Dursleys tomorrow. I will go and explain the suggestions that you 2 have made and I will also make it clear to Mr. Munson, Mr. Coates, and Mr. Murray, that treating ALL Hogwarts students with respect is a condition of the offer."

"Thanks," said Lily and Hugo together, smiling.

"Miss Potter, for you to have that kind of thoughtfulness for a friend is a beautiful thing," said McGonagall weakly," If it works out for Mr. Munson, Mr. Coates, and Mr. Murray to be able to come reunite with Mr. Dursley for Thanksgiving at Hogwarts, I will award you house points for your thoughtfulness towards a friend but will not award them until the day after Thanksgiving to ensure this whole thing remains a surprise for Mr. Dursley. Look for my thumbs up on Monday if it works out,"

Lily and Hugo left and were able to sneak back into their rooms and come out at the normal time. No one but themselves and McGonagall knew anything about the plans they'd made.

To Lily's and Hugo's great satisfaction, McGonagall passed by the Gryffindor table at breakfast Monday morning and gave them a thumbs up.

On the night before Thanksgiving, most students were looking forward to the feast and parade.

Lily and Hugo, however, lie awake thinking about how special this Thanksgiving was going to be for Devon. It filled both of their hearts with warmth to know what Devon was going to experience that next day.


	15. Hogwarts Touching 1st Thanksgiving

When Lily and Hugo went down to greet James, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie on Thanksgiving morningin the common room, they made sure to act normally so as not to tip anyone off about the surprise they had arranged for Devon.

Everyone, even Devon, ate small breakfasts that morning consisting of a sausage biscuit and a glass of orange juice each. The morning was mainly spent just chit chatting.

When the students had all convened in the Great Hall for the Thanksgiving feast just before 1, Professor Longbottom disapparated from the staff table.

Everyone knew he had disapparated because of the loud cracking sound that had occurred as he had disappeared.

But he wasn't gone long. Less than a minute after his disapparation, Professor Longbottom appaarated back into the Great Hall. When he returned he had a boy with him.

The boy was of average size but he was fairly tall. he had green eyes and black hair.

As the students all looked at the boy Longbottom had brought with him, Devon felt almost as though an electric current had raced through him when he realized who it was.

Devon leapt from his chair and rushed to greet his dear friend.

"MILES!" exclaimed Devon with that jolt of happiness still rushing through him as he engulfed Miles Munson in a tight hug..

"DEVON!" roared Miles happily, "It's so awesome to see you again!"

Lily and Hugo felt as though their hearts had by warmed by a campfire as they watched this scene. To see how much this moment meant to Devon made their efforts more than worth it.

"Man, it's wonderful to see you again too, Miles," said Devon joyfully, "I was sure I'd never-

At that nanosecond they heard another crack. Professor Longbottom disapparated again and then came back with another boy.

This boy was tall and lanky and had brown eyes and coffee colored hair.

"GARY!" yelled Devon jovially as he let go of Miles and turned to hug Gary. "I can't believe I'm actually getting to see you again too!"

"DEVON!" shouted Gary, "I'm thrilled to see you again. I-

At that nanosecond they heard yet another crack. Professor Longbottom disapparated a 3rd time and quickly returned with a 3rd boy.

This boy was somewhat short and somewhat skinny, though not exactly what you'd call petit. He had brown eyes and medium brown hair.

"TODD!" screamed Devon blissfully with his heart leaping as he released Gary and now throwing himself into Todd,, "It's amazing to see you again!"

"DEVON!" yelled Todd excitedly, "It's great to see you again!"

Lily and Hugo were smiling widely, their eyes were glowing, and their insides couldn't be warmer. Those meaningful moments between Devon and his old friends were exactly what Lily and Hugo had been looking forward to as Thanksgiving approached. They'd never been more gratified by anything else they'd ever done.

Now letting go of Todd, it now sunk in on Devon that all 3 of his old elementary school friends were at Hogwarts and at the Thanksgiving feast.

Devon's heart had rarely glowed on the inside more than it was glowing on the inside now. But his brain couldn't take in what was happening. How on earth did Miles, Gary, and Todd come to be at Hogwarts?

"Um, Miles, Gary, Todd, I'm obviously in ecstasy to you 3 again. But how did this come to be?" asked Devon.

"Well," said Todd, "5 people played roles in setting this up. Professor McGonagall contacted Dudley and explained to him the idea of us coming to Hogwarts for Thanksgiving so that you could have an opportunity to see us again. Dudley made the arrangements with our parents to allow us to come to Hogwarts for Thanksgiving and Professor Longbottom brought us here."

"The idea that we would each come separately was Hugo Weasley's idea.," explained Gary, "When the idea of the 3 of us reuniting with you at Hogwarts on Thanksgiving was being discussed Hugo suggested that we come 1 at a time so as to allow you to greet each of us 1 on 1 and to allow that emotional crescendo to build up to the point when it sunk in on you we'd all come. But ultimately there is 1 person who is primarily responsible for setting this up."

"That person," revealed Miles, "Is Miss Lily Luna Potter."

"Oh, Lily!" burst out Devon emotionally.

Lily and Hugo went over to join them.

Devon gave Hugo a short hug and turned to Lily.

Giving her a very tight hug, Devon said, "Lily, thanks," softly.

Then Devon suddenly had tears flowing down his face. These were 1/3 tears of happiness, 1/3 tears of gratitude, and 1/3 tears of love.

"Lily, I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me that you would arrange this for me." said Devon warmly.

"The day the notice appeared on the Gryffindor message boards about Hogwarts FINALLY acknowledging Thanksgiving this year, I was struck by this idea. You had expressed sadness over the fact that you would never see your 3 close friends from your muggle elementary school ever again. I decided I wanted to do this to really make this a special Thanksgiving for you." said Lily.

"I am very touched by your thoughtfulness, Lily," said Devon with his eyes watering, "You truly are a special friend."

"Typical Lily," said Hugo proudly, "Always thinking of others rather than herself."

"It really shows what a special friend Lily is to Devon that she truly wanted Devon to have the opportunity to see us again," observed Miles, "Oftentimes a person's newer friends will become protective or possessive of their friendships and will want to keep that person away from their old friends."

"And sometimes that person's older friends will be resentful towards his or her newer friends being either jealous or resentful that they now have the closeness with that person that they once did," said Lily, "It's clear to me that none of those feelings exist within Miles, Gary, or Todd."

"No," said Gary clearly, "We are very happy for Devon that he has found friends at Hogwarts that he loves and values just as much, or, in your case Lily, more than he ever did us."

"I realized that nanosecond I met sweetie pie Lily that I had just met the most special friend I ever would have," said Devon meaningfully, "I was struggling with my trunk on platform 9 and 3/4 and before we had even been introduced to each other, Lily offered to help me with my trunk, an offer I accepted gratefully. The rest is history."

"Wow," said Todd in an amazed voice, "Not many 11 year olds would be so eager to help out a complete stranger like that."

"And the result of my doing so was my gaining a beautiful friendship with dear Devon. What comes around goes around.", said Lily.

"By the way, Lily, while I know you acting for Devon, I still want to thank you for arranging this. I never thought I'd see Devon again either so this moment means a lot to me too." said Miles brightly.

"Miles, Gary, Todd," said Lily sincerely, "While my motivation was obviously about Devon, I am truly happy for you 3 to be reunited with your friend as well. I wanted to make a special day Devon and in the process I ended up making this a special day for you 3 as well. To know I succeeded in making a very special day for 4 people is a really satisfying feeling and I say that humbly."

Miles, Gary, and Todd each took turns giving Lily a quick hug. This made Devon smile. It gave Devon a fuzzy feeling to see how well Miles, Gary,a nd Todd had taken to Lily.

A few seconds later they all heard a splashing sound as, Miles, Gary, and Todd had water balloons drooped on their heads.

Turning around, they saw Ainsley.

"You must be Ainsley Cochlain," said Gary cheerfully, Professor McGonagall told us you were a prankster."

"Gary, Miles, Todd, it's nice to meet you, " said Ainsley with a smile. "The water balloon prank is 1 of my personal favorites. Lily is usually my favorite target."

"It's wonderful for us to meet you as well, "said Miles to Ainsley, "It's always good to someone lighthearted around."

"It's also a wonderful testament to Lily that she can be such a good sport about both being on the receiving end of pranks and being ribbed and razzed." added Ainsley, "Then again most of our group has a good sense of humor."

"So do we," chorused Gary, Todd, and Miles.

Stephanie came over next.

"Hi, Miles, Gary, Todd," said Stephanie in a friendly voice, "I'm Stephanie Baylac. I'm 1 of the more serious people in Devon's group of friends."

Gary, Miles, and Todd each gave Stephanie a handshake. A few nanoseconds later, a scowling Samantha came over.

"Seriously," said Samantha scornfully, "It's bad enough that Devon/Hugo/James/Lily have all become so attached to each other. And now Devon is allowing old attachments he should have let go ages ago to reform. Apart from the fact that friends coming and going out of life is just part of life, does no one understand that people allowing themselves to become attached to other people is the great weakness of the human race?"

"You're the albino girl," noticed Miles, "So you're Samantha Saver right?"

"Right," said Samantha simply, "Being emotionally attached to other people sets people up for sadness and grief. If Devon had never been emotionally attached to you 3 in the 1st place, he'd never have had to feel that sadness he talked about."

"Samantha, you must never have had a close relationship with another person, "observed Gary, "If you had you would understand what close relationships mean to people and how beautiful they are."

"Gary is EXACTLY RIGHT!" yelled James as he came to join the fray, "Close bonds between people, such as that which exists between myself, Hugo, Devon, and Lily are precious and people who have them would do well to make every effort to preserve them when possible. And Gary, Todd, Miles, along those lines, I suggest that while eating today you try to make arrangements with Devon to try to see him again sometime."

"We will, " chorused Todd, Miles, Gary, and Devon together.

Lily and Hugo grinned at this.

"By the way," said James brightly, "I'm James Sirius Potter, I'm Lily's brother."

Gary, Miles, and Todd all shook hands with James with smiles on their faces.

Professor McGonagall now came over to them and said, I've set a special table outside just for the 10 of you."

Professor McGonagall led James, Hugo, Devon, Gary, Todd, Miles, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily outside not to sweeping lawns where the parade was being set up but to the Quidditch pitch.

In the middle of the center circle was a table for 10 with the start of the feast already prepared for them. Each plate had several slices of thick cut turkey on it as well as piles of stuffing, corn, and mashed potatoes. There was also a bottle of Budweiser adjacent to each plate. The table seated 4 to a side with 2 seats for 1 on the ends.

Knowing that Devon would want to sit with the beloved friends he hadn't seen for so long, Lily and Hugo motioned for Devon, Miles, Todd, and Gary to sit down on the west side of the table, which they all did. Lily and Hugo would be joined on the east side by James and Ainsley, while Stephanie took the north end and Samantha took the south end.

As they sat down to eat, a sense of contentment filled the table. This had been, was, and would be a special Thanksgiving.

"Yummy," declared Gary as he bit into his 1st bite of the thick and juicy turkey, "Nothing I've ever tasted before has ever been as good as this turkey."

"Same story with the stuffing," smiled Miles.

"And the corn," added Todd.

"House elf cooking is 900 octillion to the 900 octillionth power times better than the best muggle cooking," said Devon matter of factly, "The difference was crystal clear to me on the night of the Welcoming Feast."

For the next 50 minutes Devon ate and talked with, Gary, Todd, and Miles. The others were mostly quiet so that Devon and Gary, Todd, and Miles had ample chance to just catch up amongst themselves.

Most of them liked the turkey best of the food. The lone exception to this was Stephanie the mashed potato lover.

Towards the end of the feast, Lily. who was sitting across the table from Miles, got a good look at a ring on Miles's right hand as Miles lifted his fork to his mouth to finish his mashed potatoes.

It was a replica of the ring used in The Lord of the Rings movies.

This very ring had once belonged to Lily herself.

When she was 8, Lily had won a youth broom race at a wizarding fair in Godric's Hollow and the replica of the ring used in The Lord of the Rings movies had been the prize for winning.

Lily was not a Lord of the Rings fan but the replica ring had been special to her because it had represented her pride in that triumph.

Then last November it had been stolen from her.

On November 23rd, 2018, Harry and Ginny had taken Lily to Dean's Dance Den, a dance den owned by Harry's former classmate, Dean Thomas. Dean's Dance Den was owned by a wizard but located in a muggle village. This meant it had a customer base that was drawn from both the wizarding and muggle worlds. As it so happened, this dance den included a couple of dance floors dedicated to youths, Youths could practice their dance moves either by themselves or with a partner. As Lily had some degree of interest in dance, Harry and Ginny had taken her to Dean's Dance Den a handful of tables.

Lily happened to be wearing her prize(d) ring on that day. After the 1st song had ended, Lily had sat down at a table and taken the ring off because she was finding it uncomfortable. She had set the ring down on the table and to her horror when she returned to the table after the 2nd song her prize(d) ring had been missing.

Harry and Ginny had spent that evening just hugging their sobbing and inconsolable daughter.

In fact, Lily had grieved the loss of her most prize(d) possession for the rest of November 2018. though her spirits had been lifted quite a bit on December 1 when Harry and Ginny put Christmas decorations and started playing Christmas music.

"Miles?" asked Lily calmly, "May I ask where you got that replica Lord of the Rings ring?"

"It was abandoned last November by someone at Dean's Dance Den. I found it lying abandoned on a table. As a huge Lord of the Rings fan, I jumped at the chance to get a replica ring from Lord of the Rings."

Miles held up his right hand and pointed at the ring. In a magnificent imitation of Gollum, Miles proclaimed "My precious!"

As Miles gave his explanation, a very hurt look came onto Lily's face and her eyes started to water.

"Um, Miles" began Lily uneasily.

"Lily, you were the original owner of this ring, weren't you?' asked Miles in a very uncomfortable voice. He had guessed this truth from the hurt he had seen on Lily's face.

"I was, sort of. You see, when I was 8, I won a youth broom race at a wizarding fair in Godric's Hollow and that ring was the prize for winning. Although I am not a Lord of the Rings fan, that ring was special to me because it had represented my pride in that personal triumph."

"So it wasn't abandoned at all." realized Miles

"No," said Lily clearly, 'I took it off between songs because I was finding it uncomfortable. I intended to retrieve it after the 2nd song but when I returned to the table I had put it down on it was gone."

Miles shook his head. He opened his mouth but no words came out.

"Miles, it's okay," said Lily in a reassuring voice, "You truly believed that ring to have been abandoned and so you just made an honest mistake."

"This ring is rightfully yours, Lily," said Miles with obvious reluctance in his voice, "And if it carries emotional value to you I suppose the only decent thing I can do is return it to you."

"It's okay, Miles," said Lily quickly and clearly, "There is a solution that can make both of us happy. We will need Ainsley's help."

"I know what I'm going to be asked to do," said Ainsley smugly, "I am great at Transfiguration, including Multiplying Spells. Lily is going to ask me to make a copy of that ring, then she is going to ask Miles if she can have the original replica back and offer him the 1 I create in its place."

"Ainsley is so smart," said Lily with a smile, "That's exactly what I would like to happen. In that way I could get my prize(d) ring back and Miles can still have a ring like that from The Lord of the Rings. "

"That's a brilliant idea, Lily," said a relived sounding Miles.

Miles slipped off the ring and handed it to Ainsley, who immediately made a copy of the ring with her Multiplying Spell. Ainsley was then careful to hand the original to Lily and the copy to Miles.

"Luna once said that the things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, said Lily with a smile, "Honestly, as hurt as I had been to lose my prize(d) ring last November, I hadn't thought about it since I came to Hogwarts. As it is Thanksgiving, I am very thankful to the fates for allowing me to reclaim my prize(d) ring."

Lily felt a certain radiance around her as slipped her prize(d) ring onto her right ring finger. The recovery of her prize(d) ring had caused joy to radiate through her. She just smiled.

"I'm so happy you have that ring back, Lily, "said Hugo to his closest cousin and BFF, "I saw 1st hand how crushing a blow it had been for you to lose that ring the 1st time I saw you last November after that loss."

James nodded at this. "That ring truly was her most prize(d) possession and now it will be again."

"All's well that ends well, " smiled Lily, "And I'm warning everyone right now, I do not want anyone badmouthing or criticizing Miles for taking the ring. He truly believed it had been abandoned and so he made an honest mistake. No one deserves to be scolded or demeaned for making an honest mistake."

Miles smiled gratefully at Lily and gave her a thumbs up. Everyone else nodded in understanding.

"By the way, piped up James, "I have an idea for when we can all meet up again. You know, of course, that nowadays, Hogwarts closes for winter break over Christmas and New Year's, throwing a Christmas party on the last day of term. Well on 1 hand, I can tell you that Harry, Ginny, and Hermione, all prefer to keep Christmas within their immediate families and have their own kids home for Christmas."

"Ditto for Devon and Debra." said Devon, "And the same is true of Miles's, Gary's, and Todd's parents as well."

"However," smiled James, there is no reason why we can't meet up with friends on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. We can all meet up then."

"We could all meet at my place on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The Dursley's house is a big one and we'd have plenty of room to hold 9 guests." offered Devon

Hugo, James, Todd, Gary, Miles, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all accepted this offer eagerly.

If I make a suggestion," said Lily, "Maybe Gary, Todd, and Miles, could arrive at Devon's house on December 30th. In this way Devon and his old friends could spend a day just to themselves and then the rest of us would arrive the next day and we could all have our big gathering together for New Year's Eve."

"I love that idea," said Devon happily, "It would be great to have a day with just with my old friends and it would also be great for everyone to gather for New Year's. That's the best of both worlds."

Everyone nodded.

Lily, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, Miles, Todd, and Gary all proceeded to Devon quick but sincere thanks for inviting them to his house for New Year's.

A few minutes later the plates were cleared and smaller plates appeared for dessert. A large pumpkin pie appeared that had been pre sliced into 10 pieces.

Devon almost instantly grabbed the 1st piece of pumpkin pie and dug in. Then Hugo, James, Gary, Todd, and Miles all quickly grabbed a piece of pumpkin pie and started to dig in.

Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie each waited patiently to serve themselves their pieces until they saw that Devon, Hugo, James, Gary, Todd, and Miles had each gotten their pieces. In Lily's case, she also waited for Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie to go before her as well.

The pumpkin pie proved to be of = quality to the meal food. After this tasty close to the eating, Devon spoke.

"I want to sing a song," said Devon clearly, "James, Hugo, Gary, Todd, Miles, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily, this song is dedicated to all of you."

And Devon sang his song.

"Oh no, did I get too close oh?  
Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?  
All your insecurities.  
All the dirty laundry.  
Never made me blink one time.

Unconditional, unconditionally.  
I will love you unconditionally.  
There is no fear now.  
Let go and just be free.  
I will love you unconditionally.

Come just as you are to me.  
Don't need apologies.  
Know that you are all worthy.  
I'll take your bad days with your good.  
Walk through this storm I would.  
I'd do it all because I love you, I love you.

Unconditional, unconditionally.  
I will love you unconditionally.  
There is no fear now.  
Let go and just be free.  
I will love you unconditionally.

So open up your heart and just let it begin.  
Open up your heart, and just let it begin.  
Open up your heart, and just let it begin.  
Open up your heart.  
Acceptance is the key to be.  
To be truly free.  
Will you do the same for me?

Unconditional, unconditionally.  
I will love you unconditionally.  
And there is no fear now.  
Let go and just be free.  
Cause I will love you unconditionally (oh yeah).

I will love you.  
I will love you.  
I will love you unconditionally."

When Devon had finished, every 1 of Devon's friends, Hogwarts, or older, felt his or her heart warmed.

"Devon, that was beautiful," said Lily appreciatively.

"You really do have a great singing voice, Devon," complimented Todd, "I'd forgotten how well you can sing."

At that nanosecond Professor McGonagall came over and informed them that the parade would start in a few minutes and get themselves over the sweeping lawns.

As they all started to proceed to the parade, McGonagall added, "A major announcement regarding Hogwarts will be made as part of the parade. "


	16. The Hogwarts Writing Competition

There were no chairs around the sweeping lawns. Apparently, they would be watching the parade standing up, but as they had been sitting for over an hour while talking and feasting, James, Hugo, Devon, Gary, Miles, James, Todd, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily didn't mind this in the slightest.

The majority of the floats and balloons were pretty mundane.

The most popular floats and balloons amongst James , Hugo, Devon, Gary, Miles, Todd, James, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily were a float depicting a man in a Darth Vader costume holding up a lightsaber and breathing hard and a balloon that took the form of BB8. Devon and Samantha had cheered loudly when that particular float and balloon had past.

"The best float and balloon in this parade, those were," said Samantha happily after they had passed.

"The force was strong with them!" piped up Devon excitedly.

But it was the very last balloon in the parade that brought about the major announcement.

Closing out the parade was a large inflated quill shaped balloon. This balloon had a long orange banner with black writing attached to it.

The banner read: The Hogwarts Writing Competition opens on Monday, January 6th, 2020.

The next nanosecond, the banner split in half and a number of orange pamphlets with white writing dropped out of the sky.

James, Hugo, Devon, Todd, Gary, Miles, James, Samantha. Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily each grabbed 1 of the pamphlets.

Lily read out loud: The Hogwarts Writing Competition shall open for entries on Monday, January 6th, 2020. On this date an entry box shall be placed in front of the Great Hall just prior to breakfast that morning. Entries will be accepted through 11;59 p.m. Hogwarts time on Friday March 27th, 2020. The winners will be announced at a special BBQ feast on Friday, April 10, 2020 starting at 5 p.m. Hogwarts time. BBQ hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken will be served and the winners will be announced 1ce our tummies are full. The essay for the Hogwarts Writing Competition is as follows; How do you find life at Hogwarts? What do you like about Hogwarts? Is there anything you dislike about life at Hogwarts? And most of all, what suggestions do you have for the future of Hogwarts? How can Hogwarts improve either the lives or the education of its students? Could Hogwarts do anything better, additional, or different to prepare its students for their adult lives in the Wizarding World? The prize structure shall be as follows; 3rd place will win a bronze medal, 100 galleons, and a bottle of Budweiser. 2nd place will win a silver medal, 500 galleons, and a slab of Honeydukes chocolates. 1st place will win a gold medal, 1000 galleons, and an Old Faithful bar. The judges for the Hogwarts Writing Competition shall be as follows: Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor McMillan,, and Professor Longbottom. Note that any suggestion given for the future of Hogwarts may be put into action, regardless of the papers placement in the competition. Good luck to you all! Happy writing! Sincerely -Hogwarts Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

"I'm entering!" said Stephanie eagerly, "I love both drawing and writing and I love the idea of writing for a competition. Writing has always been a huge passion of mine so this should be right up my alley. I'm thrilled to have this opportunity."

"I'll go for it too!" said James happily, "That Old Faithful bar at Halloween was so yummy! I'd love another. An Old Faithful bar is an awesome prize! And 1000 galleons as a side prize! cant beat that!"

"I will enter because I welcome the opportunity to help improve Hogwarts and the lives of its students, "said Lily matter of factly, "Whether I win anything or not, if I can better the lives of Hogwarts students through my participation in this contest, that would be the biggest prize."

"That's the best of many good reasons to enter," agreed Devon simply, "I doubt I'll enter. I don't enjoy writing that much and at this point I don't have any ideas anyway, . But I do love the fact that Hogwarts has provided a forum for students to speak about Hogwarts in the form of this competition."

"Indeed", said Hugo, "I'm not too into writing either and I don't have any ideas at the moment either but I look forward to seeing what my classmates come up with."

"I'm more into reading than writing," admitted Ainsley, "But I think I might just give it a shot. Since the contest doesn't even open until January 6th and we have until March 27th to submit entries. I'll give it some thought but I think there's only about a 30% chance I enter."

"I have some ideas I'd love to put forward for Hogwarts but I won't enter," said Samantha clearly, "Because I don't want to risk being a loser. What if I were to enter and my paper was like 43rd place, I'm not risking the shame, stain, stigma, disgrace, and embarrassment of that!"

"But," Lily reminded Samantha, "Remember that all ideas for the future of Hogwarts will be considered."

"I'm fluent in speaking English and I can read and listen to English well too. And my capitalization, punctuation, and spelling are good too. It's just that I don't think I can write a well developed articulate essay. I'm not that great at putting ideas into writing and developing them," explained Samantha.

"Well, "began Todd

"You have no place to comment here," Samantha told Todd, "You won't even be at Hogwarts. So why do you care?"

"Because," said Todd firmly, "I want to give you some encouragement. Even if you don't do well within the context of the competition, participating in it may help you to improve your writing skills. Ask Gary."

"Yes," acknowledged Gary, "Our primary school held an essay writing competition similar to that apparently being held at Hogwarts this year when we were in 3rd grade. I entered what turned out to be a 32nd place paper. But you know what? Putting the effort I did into the competition made me start to become a better writer and I only improved steadily after that."

"It's true," confirmed Devon, "And we were all so proud of the effort Gary put into his essay. He gave it his best and did his best and became better in the process."

"The only true failures," said Miles crisply, "Are not giving 100% and not trying."

"Samantha, do you have any ideas about Hogwarts that you'd like to see implanted?" asked Lily, knowing perfectly well that Samantha already had said so.

"Absolutely," said Samantha firmly, "Didn't I already say that I did?"

"Yes, you did, and that's why you really should enter," said Lily encouragingly as the others all nodded vigorously.

"Samantha,' said James in a polite but clear voice, "If you become too risk adverse you will pay a price for it. If you try too hard to avoid the bad, the good you might have had may well pass you by. If you enter and don't perform as well as you might like, at least you can be at peace knowing you gave it your best shot. If you have ideas and don't enter, there may well come a time down the road where you'll be kicking yourself wondering what might have been if you had submitted a paper. "

"James is EXACTLY RIGHT!" said Lily fiercely, "I'm telling you, Samantha, you should enter."

"I'll think about it," said Samantha in a non committal voice.

They could see the conflict within her. She really wanted to put her ideas forward but she really did not want to be a loser, But the fact she said would at least think about it was a step in the right direction.

After much discussion of the Hogwarts Writing Competition. James, Hugo, Devon, Gary, Miles, Todd, , Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily all decided to go for a swim in the Black Lake. As none of them had any swimming trunks on hand, they all took off their clothes and swam naked. They swam for about half an hour.

After that Samantha, Ainsley and Stephanie broke away from the group. Samantha went to her room to watch her Arizona Cardinals play the Detroit Lions in 1 of the NFL's annual Thanksgiving games, Ainsley went to her room to read, and Stephanie went up to her room to get started on her paper for the Hogwarts Writing Competition. The 3 girls all said goodbyes to Todd, Gary, and Miles as they did not plan to leave their rooms for the rest of the day.

James , Hugo, Devon, Gary, Miles, Todd, and Lily, meanwhile, finished off the day just chatting about whatever subjects might occur and enjoying each other's company. They didn't really care what they talked about. It was using the last few hours of the day to enjoy each other's company that they really cared about.

As the day drew to a close, Miles, Gary, and Todd all had kind words for Lily.

"Lily," said Gary sincerely, giving her a goodbye hug, "Thank you for setting up this reunion between us and Devon. It was wonderful meeting you and I look forward to seeing you again at New Year's. My world is brighter and warmer for having you come into it."

"Lily, "added Miles genuinely, taking his turn to hug Lily. "Thanks for setting up this special day for us and Devon. It will be great to see you again at New Year's. You are a special person and you make the world a better place by your presence in it."

"Lily," said Todd, hugging Lily as well "Thanks, goodbye, good luck, and see you."

"You know," said Lily thoughtfully, "I can't help feeling a little sad now that goodbye has come. I sorta feel like how Karen felt when she had to say goodbye to Frosty at the end of Frosty the Snowman. Make a new friend and then, just like that, you have to say goodbye."

"But you'll see them again before you know it," said Devon reassuringly, "AND we can make arrangements at New Year's for future meetings with Gary, Miles, and Todd, both some for me and them to ourselves and some to include all of us as a group. And I can't tell you enough times how much it meant to me that you set up this reunion today for me and my old friends. It warms my heart to see how you and they have taken to each other well."

Lily smiled at this.

Gary, Todd, and Miles then said their goodbyes to Hugo. These goodbyes were quicker and simpler but Miles, Gary, and Todd, did make sure to thank Hugo for the role he had played in planning this day.

Miles then turned to Devon. "Devon," said Miles warmly, giving him a tight hug, "It was wonderful to see you again. I can't begin to tell you how glad I am that our friendship has been reignited."

"The feeling is mutual," said Devon emotionally, "I feel a lot wholer now that you, Gary, and Todd are back in my life."

"Today was a beautiful day," added Gary heartily as he too hugged Devon, "We feel wholer again too."

"Absolutely," added Todd, giving Devon a quick hug as well.

"Bye, Devon," called Todd, Gary, and Miles, as they approached Professor Longbottom to take them back to the Dursley's house from where they would proceed home.

"Bye," called Devon, waving at his 3 oldest friends.

After they had gone, Devon felt a sudden pang of sadness that this day was over. But this pang was short lived as he realized he would have more chances to see Gary, Miles, and Todd again, and that New Year's wasn't all that far away.

James, Hugo, Devon, and Lily now all bade each other good night as they each headed to their rooms for bed.

Lily sat on her bed that night both reflecting and looking forward.

The level of satisfaction inside of her had never been higher. She had gotten her prize(d) ring back, but that was a just a bonus. What meant far more to her than that was that she'd made 3 new friends. And bigger yet than that, she had succeeded in creating a special day for 1 of her closest friends and made 3 other people's days special in the process. Nothing felt better to Lily than making other people happy.

But she was also looking forward. After the plans and announcements of the day, she had a lot to look forward to: Christmas with her parents and brothers, New Year's at Devon's, and the Hogwarts Writing Competition.

This was the great thing about her family, her friends, and Hogwarts. There was always something to look forward to.


	17. Hogwarts Christmas Party

The last day of term before Christmas break was Thursday, December 19th, 2019. On this day, Lily awoke to find that her normally hot pink bedsheets, slippers, and pajamas were now a vivid shade of red. Taking inventory of her room. she saw that her comb, toothbrush, flip flops, and schoolbag were all this vivid shade of red as well. Even the Gryffindor patch on her school robes was now this vivid shade of red accented with green instead of scarlet accented with gold.

"Oh," thought Lily, "It's the last day of term before Christmas so we're having our school Christmas party today. Everything's been bewitched red for Christmas."

When James, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley Stephanie and Lily went down to breakfast, they found Christmas cheer waiting for them in the their waffles. These waffles had messages carved into them such as "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, and Ho Ho Ho.

Some of them had even had lines from classic Christmas carols inscribed into them such as "Although it's been said many times many ways Merry Christmas to you", "May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white", and, of course, "Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas this year."

The dishes were all red and a number of Christmas trees had been erected in the Great Hall, including 1 adjacent to the Gryffindor table.

James, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily all exchanged awkward "Merry Christmas" greetings.

"It's a bit odd," admitted Lily, "To have the whole day be Christmas themed and for it still be almost a week before Christmas. That's the disadvantage of Hogwarts no longer staying open over Christmas."

"That's all for the best though," said Ainsley clearly, "When I read the Harry Potter books I always felt sorry for Hermione's parents that after 1st year they never had their daughter come home for Christmas again."

"You're right, Ainsley," agreed Lily, "All parents deserve to have their children home for Christmas."

"I'm absolutely in agreement with that," said James firmly, "Christmas is all about family. Parents shouldn't have their kids away at a school on Christmas."

"And even though they're simpler than the Halloween pancakes were, I love the Christmas waffles all the same," said Samantha happily.

"Can't beat having the closing for some of the best Christmas carols ever written." agreed Devon.

"As a Christmas fan, these waffles get 2 thumbs up from me," said Samantha cheerfully.

Devon wolfed down 40 of the Christmas message waffles and added 15 sausage links on the side. He washed it down, appropriately, with 4 pitchers of red fruit punch. James, Hugo, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily each ate 2 waffles and 2 sausage links and drank 1/3 a pitcher of fruit punch.

That morning in Charms, Professor Flitwick announced that they would be making Christmas cookies that morning.

"Now, remember, "said Professor Flitwick clearly, "That no food can be conjured."

"I've tried," admitted Ainsley, "But as good as my Conjuring Spells are in general, I've never been able to conjure food."

"And if Ainsley can't conjure something, then no one can," said Lily firmly, "As her Conjuring Spells are truly superb."

"Hermione told me when I was 5 that food could not be conjured." said Hugo simply.

"Harry and Ginny explained this to me when I was 6," added Lily.

"So," said Professor Flitwick, "On each of your desks lies some prepared cookie dough, rainbow sprinkles, and various frostings. The frosting flavors are: Red is cherry, green is mint, white is vanilla, brown is cinnamon, and black is chocolate. Now, much like with Jack O Lanterns at Halloween, making cookies by magic is 1 of the easiest magical tasks even for novice witches and wizards. All you have to do to create the shapes of the cookies you want is to hold your wand a few feet above your cookie dough and"draw" the shape you wish for your cookie to be. A subtle white outline will appear in the cookie dough and then you point your wand at the outline and say "cookieious" and that particular part of the dough will harden into a cookie. Frosting and rainbow sprinkles can be added by hand if desired. Now, Christmas offers a variety of shape options and in a class of 6 I'd like to see 6 different shapes used. Which shapes would each of you like to use?"

"I'm using the present shape. Presents have always the part of Christmas of the most interest to me," said Devon instantly.

"I want to use the stocking shape," said Hugo quickly, "I'm not the biggest Christmas fan but 1 Christmas story I have always enjoyed is Twas the Night Before Christmas. I love the line "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care."

Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie all now looked uncomfortably at each other. It seemed as though none of those 3 wanted to be the 1 to pick the shape 1 of the other 2 wanted.

This uncomfortable silence lasted almost 1 minute. It was broken by Samantha timidly asking Ainsley and Stephanie, "Is it alright with you 2 if I take the snowman shape? I've always enjoyed the "wintery" aspect of Christmas and I'm a huge Frosty the Snowman fan."

"Of course," chorused Ainsley and Stephanie. All 3 of them smiled and the tension broke.

"I'd like to do the reindeer shapes as I like animals," said Ainsley in a more comfortable voice , "Steph, are you okay with me taking the reindeer shape?"

"But of course!", said Stephanie with a smile, "In that case, I'll take tree shapes. I've always been more into Halloween than Christmas but I'll do trees."

Lily smiled. Even after taking her typical approach of waiting for everyone else to take his or her turn before she took hers, the shape she wanted for herself was still on the table.

"I'd love to make Santa shaped cookies," said Lily happily.

"That's settled," said Professor Flitwick matter of factly.

Devon, Hugo, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily all raised their wands above their cookie dough and made waves in the shapes of the shapes they had chosen. When they all the white outline they pointed their wands at the outlines and cried "cookieious"

It was a smashing success.

Hugo's cookies looked like miniature stockings, Samantha's cookies had that perfect snowman shape. Stephanie's cookies had a very well formed tree shape, and Lily's cookies just screamed out "Santa" when you looked at them.

Ainsley's and Devon's cookies were a little less perfect but nevertheless had clear and discernable reindeer and present shapes.

"Good work," everyone," said Flitwick, "You may now add frosting and/or rainbow sprinkles to your cookies."

Devon placed a coating of white frosting on his cookies and then drew both a horizontal and a vertical line in this with the red frosting. This gave Devon's cookies the look of wrapped gifts.

Hugo used mostly white frosting on his stocking shaped cookies, though he did use some red frosting on the very top so as to make the stockings have clear tops.

Samantha chose to go with entirely white frosting on her snowmen. Keeping the snowmen entirely white increased the sense of snow, cold, and winter.

Ainsley went with almost all brown frosting on her reindeer. She did, however, use red frosting for the noses so that the reindeer took on the look of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Stephanie went with mostly green frosting for her trees. However, she did put small specks of red frosting on them so they had the appearance of having Christmas balls on them.

Lily used several layers of white frosting to make Santa's beard and several layers of black frosting to make his belt and otherwise stuck with red.

"Everyone's finished cookies look totally awesome baby!" beamed Flitwick, "They are yours to keep,"

Everyone agreed that all the cookies came out great and, on this day, they were inclined to appreciate each other's work as opposed to comparing and competing.

Next hour, in the History room, Lily, Hugo, Devon. Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha were treated to screenings of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and A Garfield Christmas.

At 1 p.m. a feast was held similar to that at Thanksgiving, though replacing the turkey with ham.

James joined Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie for the feast and all of them were pleased to see James and Fred had added more diversity to the cookie shapes. James had made candy cane shaped cookies with alternating white and red frosting.

"Of course," piped up Lily with a smile , "James has always been a huge candy lover. It makes perfect sense he would choose the candy cane shape."

The ham served at this feast was the tastiest and juiciest ham any of them had ever had. The cuts weren't thick but no one cared. It was the taste that counted and every bite of this ham had a delicious rating of 20 on a scale of 1-10.

Devon ate 30 pieces of this ham and everyone else had 4 pieces. No one seemed too interested in sides today. The ham was just too good. Only Stephanie's 2 pounds of mashed potatoes constituted any significant consumptions of sides. By the time the ham was gone everyone was so full that they all ate only 1 small piece of pumpkin pie for dessert.

After dessert, Albus, Fred Rose, Pamela, and Roxanne stopped by and showed their cookies.

Albus had created the shape of a string of lights with various frosting colors, Fred had produced sleigh shaped cookies and used exclusively white frosting, Rose had done wreath shape cookies topped with 95% green frosting and a small touch of red frosting. Pamela had gone with bow shaped cookies using different frosting colors on each so a few had red frosting, a few had green frosting, and a few had white frosting. Roxanne's cookies were house shaped with only a thin layer of white frosting and topped with rainbow sprinkles.

No one would eat of the cookies that day. They were too full of ham for that. Instead, everyone would take his or her cookies home for the Christmas break.

James, Hugo, Devon, Albus, Fred, Samantha, Stephanie, Ainsley, Rose, Pamela, Roxanne, and Lily all exchanged cookies so that all of them took home a nice variety.

Later that night towards the end of the day in the Gryffindor common room, Devon gathered up James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily.

"I need to talk to you lot about coming to my house for New Year's," said Devon in a crisp and clear voice, "When you are at my house there a couple of crucial rules you will need to follow in order to be welcomed there. There are a few things Dudley and Debra have absolutely no tolerance for."

"And do Miles, Gary, and Todd already know of these rules then?" asked Lily.

"Absolutely," answered Devon, "I've had them over several times in the past."

"So what are these rules then?" asked James.

"An important 1 to know about is this; you must never yell while at my house and you must never raise your voice while at my house. Dudley and Debra instilled in me at a very early age that if you respect another person then you will never yell at that person and that you will never raise your voice at that person. If you yell or raise your voice Dudley and Debra will believe that you are a disrespectful person with no regard for other people. This may result in your being sent home and it will greatly reduce the likelihood of Dudley and Debra welcoming you into our home again in the future. Avoiding yelling and avoiding raised voice volumes are absolute musts at the Dursley household. I can't stress enough that Dudley and Debra have a 0 tolerable policy for yelling." said Devon in a no nonsense voice.

"Dudley and Debra are exactly right about that," said Samantha matter of factly, "I'm glad to see parents instilling good values in their children. Samuel and Sarah impressed upon me at an early age that yelling is wrong as well."

"Another very important thing," added Devon firmly, "Is that Debra has serious smoke allergies. Thus no cigarettes, cigars, or pipes are allowed at my house. As we have no smokers in this group that won't be an issue. Then there's the fact that Dudley hates animals. I believe that James has an owl?"

"He can be left at home, Harry and Ginny can look after him," said James simply.

"I have a cat," acknowledged Ainsley, "But she never leaves the Cochlain household so no problem."

"That's all," finished Devon.

"I'm tired," said James warily, "I need a good night's sleep before the journey home tomorrow. Lily, I love you big sis."

"I love you too, baby bro." answered Lily, waving goodnight at him.

Before long everyone had the same idea as James and they were all in bed.

Lily was really looking forward to tomorrow afternoon. As much as she loved being at Hogwarts, she was looking forward to getting to see Harry and Ginny again.


	18. Family Christmas and Fatherly Advice

On Christmas morning, Lily awoke at 6 a.m. Harry and Ginny had told Lily that she had until 8 a.m. to open her presents in her room. At 8 a.m. they wanted her outside in the backyard for their family Christmas activities.

A large pile of presents had appeared in front of Lily's bed.

The 1st present she opened was from someone she would not have expected to send her a gift and that was Rachel Robins. It was wrapped in Gryffindor wrapping paper and was small and soft. Tearing off the wrapping paper, Lily found a soft paperback book with a picture of a golden snitch on the cover. The book was titled Special Seekers and subtitled A Quidditch Lovers Guide to the Greatest Seekers in History. As a huge Quidditch fan and a great Seeker herself, this was a book Lily knew she would enjoy. It would make good bedtime reading. It was confusing to Lily that someone who she didn't have much a relationship with who wasn't family either would send her something but she appreciated it all the same.

After opening Rachel's gift, Lily picked up a small envelopes that was marked with a simple to and from tag. The from turned out to be from Pamela. Pamela had each sent Lily a 10 galleon gift card to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Quality Quidditch Supplies was Lily's favorite shop in Diagon Alley so this a gift card she was very happy with.

Lily followed opening the gift cards by picking up 3 white envelopes that all had her name written on them in jet black ink. She was sure these would be Chritsmas cards. Deciding to open all 3 at once, Lily found a Christmas card that showed Santa on the front, 1 that showed stringed lights on the front, and 1 that showed snowflakes on the front. The insides of these cards had nothing written on them from the manufacturers. But in large font with block lettering alternating red and green letters, Merry Christmas Lily was written in each of them. The bottoms of these cards had been signed. The Santa card was from Miles, the stringed lights card was from Gary, and the snowflakes card was from Todd. Lily was gratified that Miles, Gary, and Todd had thought of her at Christmas and seeing their signed names made her look even more forward to seeing them again on New Year's Eve.

Lily knew what her next 2 presents would contain. They were in small unwrapped hot pink bags. These were from Rose and Roxanne and as Lily had expected they each contained a Lindt's chocolate Santa. Rose and Roxanne always gave family members that they were not close to chocolate Santas for Christmas. This would make for a tasty treat later. Lily had always said that Lindt's made the best chocolate and that it was far superior to the overrated Russell Stovers.

Next in line came Fred's gift. Fred had wrapped his gift in scarlet wrapping paper that featured the Hogwarts crest. This package was somewhat long and Lily opened it to find a brown cardboard box. Lily opened this box to find a hot pink sports bottle complete with a hot pink lid and hot pink straw. There was also a note which read: Lily, I know you get thirsty easily, especially when busy, so I thought you could use a sports bottle to carry water in while at Hogwarts -Love from Fred. Lily smiled. She had always had a bit of a thirst issue but it had gotten worse at Hogwarts. This was both a thoughtful and useful gift.

Lily next turned her attention to a red envelope that was simply addressed to Lily. The envelope had a return address from Arizona and the label indicated Samantha Saver was the sender. Her 1st inclination was that it would be a Christmas card and it did feel like there was a card in it. But it also felt like there were a couple of solid objects in it as well. Lily carefully opened the envelope and saw that the card had a picture of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on the front. She opened the card and a hot pink comb, hot pink toothbrush, and a letter fell out. The message inside the store bought card read: May this Christmas go down in history for you. Merry Christmas Buddy! Lily noticed that the comb and toothbrush were small. The letter read: Hi Lily!. I hope my 1st Christmas present to you is a successful 1. My thinking was that since you are a midget that the smaller toothbrush might fit into your hands and mouth better. Ditto for the comb. Merry Christmas Lily -Samantha. Holding the toothbrush and comb (1 at a time), it was obvious that Samantha had been right, The smaller comb and toothbrush did indeed fit more comfortably in her small hands. And after giving it 1 test run in her mouth, Lily realized the smaller toothbrush was much more comfortable in her small mouth. Yes, Samantha's gifts were a success.

Now it was time to open Stephanie's gift. Stephanie's gift was wrapped in Gryffindor wrapping paper. It was also quite heavy. When Lily had removed the wrapping paper she saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit. There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare. As Lily and Stephanie shared a passion for Quidditch Lily loved that this particular gift was from Stephanie.

Lily now went for Ainsley's gift. Ainsley's gift a small square package wrapped in bright yellow wrapping paper. This wrapping paper was loosely attached so it come off as soon Lily picked the package up. A small glass box was revealed. It had s seam halfway down to be opened at but all that seemed to appear to be in it was the same bright yellow color the wrapping paper had been. When Lily opened this box, the yellow proved to be a liquid and it had a strong smell of lemon. This lemon liquid flowed straight into Lily's face and splashed her with a kind of lemon paste. She got some in her mouth too so she was glad it was lemon and not some disgusting flavor. But a small amount of this paste dissipated before it reached her face and when this happened something felt out. This something was a small hot pink wristwatch with black digital numbers on its display. The watch was the perfect size for Lily. There was no note with this gift but Lily suspected that Ainsley had had the same idea as Samantha about smaller being better for her. Lily appreciated that her friends had seen that getting some smaller items would be better for her and taken to getting them for her.

It was now time to open Albus's gift. Albus's gift had come in just a large plain white unwrapped bag. In this bag were 2 new pairs of hot pink flip flops and 2 new pairs of hot pink slippers. This was good as Lily's current pairs of flip flops and slippers were pretty worn down. This was a timely and useful gift for Lily.

Lily now saw that she had 3 gifts left and that all 3 of them had been wrapped in hot pink wrapping paper. There was an envelope sitting on top of 1 of them. Opening this letter Lily read: Dear Lily: Lily, the 3 of us, that is to say, James Potter, Devon Dursley, and Hugo Weasley, have all collaborated on our Christmas presents to you. We had an idea while sitting together during 1 of your Quidditch practices that we would love to give you Christmas presents that you would find especially meaningful. We worked together as a team of 3 to put these gifts together for you. We have sent them to you in 3 separate packages but we have not attached names to any of them. Please consider all 3 of them to be from all 3 of us. It shouldn't matter which order you open them in. They are all related and we hope you find them to be a very meaningful gift from us. With lots of love- James, Devon, and Hugo.

Lily felt a prickling in her spine at this. James, Devon, and Hugo had worked together to attempt to get her meaningful gifts. Lily felt her heart leap with anticipation.

Lily opened the 1st of these 3 gifts to discover a case filled with vials. These vials all had labels on them and there was another note with them.

This note said: Dear Lily: These vials contain memories of our more notable/memorable days at Hogwarts this past semester. This gift will allow you to revisit several of the most significant days of your 1st semester at Hogwarts whenever you want. Dedicated by James, Devon, and Hugo.

Lily looked at the labels on the vials and saw the labels included "Halloween 10-31-2019, Gryffindor vs Slytherin Quidditch 11-9-2019, Thanksgiving 11-28-2019, and Hogwarts Christmas Party amongst others. The vials were organized in chronological order. This was a truly special gift. Whenever she was in the mood Lily could revisit some of her most enjoyable and her most meaningful days at Hogwarts. Lily marveled at the effort James, Devon, and Hugo had put not only into to gathering all of these memories into vials but also into organizing them.

The 2nd of these packages was very heavy. Lily removed the wrapping paper and discovered painted portraits. These portraits were individually painted pictures of Lily herself, Hugo, Devon, James, Fred, Roxanne, Albus, Rose, Harry, Ginny, Pamela, Gary, Todd, Miles, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha. These paintings were extremely detailed and each was a perfect portrait of 1 of Lily's family members and/or friends. James, Devon, and Hugo had also included a note with these portraits. This note read: Dear Lily: We know that family and friends are what is most important to you and we thought you would like to be able to plave these on the wall in your room at Hogwarts. With all our hearts, James, Devon, and Hugo, Lily stood frozen for a nanosecond. And then she lost it. She collapsed onto her bed and starting sobbing. She had never received such a meaningful gift in her life and she was completely overcome with emotion. In this moment she fully understood everything Devon had told her on Thanksgiving about how touched he had been by her thoughtfulness and how he couldn't express to her how much what she had done for him meant to him. This was exactly how Lily felt about receiving these portraits from James, Devon, and Hugo. When she had composed herself, Lily finally opened the 3rd package.

The 3rd of these packages contained a photo album and inside there were pictures. There were pictures of Lily by herself, of Lily with Hugo, of Lily with Devon, of Lily with James, of Lily with Hugo and Devon, and Lily with Hugo, Devon and James. There were also pictures showing Lily riding a broom, of Lily eating with friends in the Great Hall, of Lily making her Jack O Lantern, of her putting frosting on her Christmas cookies, of her being hugged by Todd, Gary, and Miles on Thanksgiving, of her sitting by the Black Lake, etc. There was a note accompanying the photo album as well. It read: Dear Lily: We thought a photo album filled with pictures from your life at Hogwarts would be an excellent way for you to experience quicker memories of those days and moments at times when you'd like to relive them but don't want to take the time to watch the full memories from the vials. Sincerely, your loyal and loving baby brother, your 2nd cousin and BFF, and your closest cousin and other BFF.

For a long time Lily just sat on her bed taking in the meaningfulness of the last 3 gifts she had opened. She barely realized how much time had passed when she looked over at the clock by her bedside table and saw that it was 7:57 a.m.

Seeing that it was about time to meet her parents and brothers for their family Christmas activities, Lily left her room and went out back to find Harry, Ginny, James, and Albus waiting for her.

Now it was time for Christmas activities with family.

"Merry Christmas, Lily, " chorused James, Albus, Harry, and Ginny.

Harry, Ginny, James, and Albus had formed a circle in the lawn. James and Albus squeezed apart to make room for Lily. Harry, Ginny, James, Lily, and Albus now reformed a circle. Harry was between Ginny and Albus, Ginny was between Harry and James, James was between Ginny and Lily, Lily was between James and Albus, and Albus was between Lily and Harry. They now all took each other's hands.

In the middle of the circle there was a large chocolate cake. Merry Christmas Potters was written in icing on the top of the cake with Merry in red, Christmas in green, and Potters in white. This cake also had 116 candles on it. These candles represented the total age of the Potter family. Harry was 39, Ginny was 38, James was 15, Albus was 13, and Lily was 11. It was a Potter Christmas tradition to have a cake on Christmas that featured the exact number of candles as the combined age of the family. These candles were all lit.

"James, Albus, Lily, Ginny," called Harry clearly, "As is our family Christmas tradition, I want all 5 of us to spend the 10 minutes silently thinking about the importance of family and what family means to each of us. We are not to share these thoughts out loud. This is to be a private reflection for each of us."

Each of the Potters had their own thoughts on family.

Harry reflected on how he had grown up without his parents and how painful their absence had been. But he also silently thanked his mother for sacrificing herself for him. Harry thought about how Lily's sacrifice had not only allowed him to live but how it had allowed the Potter line to endure. It was because of Lily that James, Albus, and Lily were standing here with Harry today. Harry felt a strong combination of sadness at how he had never spoken to his parents and how they would never know their grandchildren and an inexpressible sense of appreciation for what his mother had done for him and for the Potter line by giving herself up.

Ginny thought about how her family had rarely been together for Christmas when she was at Hogwarts and how glad she was that Hogwarts now closed for Christmas break. Always having the family together was now a major priority for Ginny on Christmas.

James thought about how, though 1 of the weirdest sorting quirks in Hogwarts history, he and was the only the Gryffindors in their year but how Hugo and Lily went out of their to include him with their group of friends at Hogwarts whenever possible.

Albus's mind turned to Harry and Ginny. Being very conscious of the fact that Harry had grown up without parents and how hurt Harry had been by that, Albus considered himself blessed to have grown up with both Harry and Ginny alive and he considered every day he had with Harry and Ginny a blessing.

Lily used these 10 minutes to reflect on how those people who she was closest to were all family in 1 way or another and what a lucky girl she was to have that be the case. As an atheist, Lily never used words such as "blessed" or "blessing". But the words that did pop up in her head during this reflection were words such as "fortunate", "lucky" and special . She thought about how much it had meant to her when, after having cultivated a best friends relationship with Devon over their 1st few weeks at Hogwarts, she had discovered that she and Devon were related as 2nd cousins. She reflected on how she had been BFFs with her own cousin Hugo all their lives since they were toddlers and how special that relationship was. And her mind also to drawn to her relationship with her brothers, especially James, and how wonderful it was to have brothers who were friendly and loving as opposed to rivalry minded. Lily felt her heart fill with emotion and meaning as she thought about the last gifts she had opened that morning.

Harry and Lily were both moved to tears during their reflections.

After the 10 minute reflection period had ended, Harry instructed the family to break hands but keep in circle formation. Harry dug his right hand into his right pocket and pulled out an MP3 player.

"I'm going to play a couple of Christmas songs," explained Harry, "The 1st is a more quiet and emotional song, the 2nd is more cheerful and is intended to transition us from the emotional and reflective stage to the more cheerful and festive stage, and the 3rd is 1 we can all sing along with."

James, Albus, Lily and Ginny all nodded in understanding.

The 1st song Harry played was Have Yourself a Merry Christmas. The playing of this beautiful song ended the more emotional stage of the day.

Harry next played the much more upbeat Oh There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays and by the time this song had finished James, Albus, Lily, and Ginny were all showing some bounce in their step and Harry himself felt his energy picking up.

The final song Harry played was Holly Jolly Christmas. As Harry had intended, it wasn't just 1 voice singing this song but 6 voices.

These 6 cheerful voices all chorused

Have a holly, jolly Christmas  
It's the best time of the year  
I don't know if there'll be snow  
But have a cup of cheer  
Have a holly, jolly Christmas  
And when you walk down the street  
Say hello to friends you know  
And everyone you meet  
Oh, ho the mistletoe  
Hung where you can see  
Somebody waits for you  
Kiss her once for me  
Have a holly, jolly Christmas  
And in case you didn't hear  
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas  
This year

(Have a holly, jolly Christmas  
It's the best time of the year)

Have a holly, jolly Christmas  
And when you walk down the street  
Say hello to friends you know  
And everyone you meet  
Oh, ho the mistletoe  
Hung where you can see  
Somebody waits for you  
Kiss her once for me  
Have a holly, jolly Christmas  
And in case you didn't hear  
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas  
This year

"That was awesome!" said Lily approvingly after the song was over, "It's amazing what happens when you combine a great song with multiple people in sync singing it together.

"My personal favorite Christmas song," said James brightly, "It's a great song to set a festive mood with."

"Now," said Harry clearly, it is time to blow out the candles and eat our Christmas cake.

James blew 1st and 15 candles went out. Then Albus blew and 13 candles went out. Next Harry blew and an amazing 39 candles blew out. Ginny took her turn and extinguished 38 candles. This left 11 candles for Lily to blow out as she finished off the job.

Ginny, who was a master of food related charms, placed a Cutting Charm on the cake that caused it to divide into 5 = pieces while Harry used his Summoning Charms to gather plates and forks.

"Dig in!" said Harry with a smile when the cake was cut and the plates and forks present.

James, being the most eager and the greatest chocolate lover of the 5, took the 1st piece and started eating the cake.

Then, at almost the sane time, Albus and Harry took the 2nd and 3rd pieces, followed soon after by Ginny taking the 4th piece.

Once she saw that her brothers and parents had theirs, Lily took her piece.

The cake was very tasty with the cherry, mint, and vanilla icing mixing well with the chocolate. There was no talking while the cake was being consumed as it's yumminess had taken them in.

When the cake was gone, Harry then turned to the snow accumulated on the ground.

"James, Albus, Lily, "called Harry, "You 3 are to have a snowball fight with me as the judge. Whoever wins gets to pick where we go for Christmas lunch."

James, Albus, and Lily all eagerly started to make snowballs. Lily was a terrible shot with snowballs and she wasn't able to hit James or Albus even once. However, in spite of Lily's speed and agility, James and Albus, who were both very good shots with snowballs, got her in the face multiple times, enjoying a good laugh at her expensive each time. Lily didn't mind though. She was still having fun even if her shots sucked and she was baring the brunt of the hits. At 1st James and Albus were both able to hit each other. As the snowball fight went along James starting doing a better of ducking Albus's snowballs while James was still hitting Albus pretty consistently.

After 10 minutes Harry declared that the winner of the snowball fight had been James. Harry handed James a slip of paper and told him he had 5 minutes to make his decision. Harry instructed him to write his final choice on the slip of paper.

Harry spent these 5 minutes chatting with Ginny and didn't hear what James was saying about the choice to Albus and Lily.

"1 of my favorite foods that I don't have an opportunity to eat as much as some of my other favorite foods is spaghetti," said James happily, "I know that Sally Ann Perks opened a restaurant about a block from our house that specializes in spaghetti. The name of the restaurant is Sally's Special Spaghetti."

"That sounds good," said Lily cheerfully, "I like spaghetti a lot too so I'm quite pleased by your choice, baby bro."

"Glad you're happy with it, big sis," said James with a smile.

"And," said Albus brightly, "It also means having our Christmas dinner at a restaurant that we will be patronizing for the 1st time. That should be enjoyable."

"That's also something I took into account when making the choice," added James.

James wrote the name Sally's Special Spaghetti on the slip of paper and handed it to Harry.

Harry was delighted when he saw Sally's Special Spaghetti written on the slip of paper. It was the newest restaurant in the area and he had never been.

Sally's Special Spaghetti had a picture of a huge plate of spaghetti on the glass door along with the hours: Open 7 days a week 365-366 days a year from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. The windows were plain glass with no advertising or posters of pictures. Sally's Special Spaghetti was written in stick out block neon red cursive letters above the restaurant .

Sally's Special Spaghetti was a sit down restaurant and they had to wait for a waiter to seat them. There were some chairs for patrons to sit down on while awaiting tables and James, Albus, Harry, and Ginny all took seats but as there had been only 4 open chairs and 5 of them Lily had to stand while they were waiting for a table and by the time a waiter came their way Lily's legs were extremely tired.

After the waiter had gotten them seated at a table near the front of the restaurant at a table for 5 they saw 5 menus on top of the table and glanced through them. Ultimately all 5 Potters ordered the same thing: Sally's Super Sized Spaghetti plate which contained a complete plate full of spaghetti topped with tomato sauce and meatballs and served with a side of 3 breadsticks each. They each ordered a large Coca Cola Classic to drink.

The food was exceptional. The spaghetti was white hot, the tomato sauce and meatballs were clearly made from the highest quality tomatoes and meat, and the breadsticks were as soft and hot as anyone would want. Their Coca Cola Classics were snow cold but without being diluted.

"Lily?" said Harry clearly while they were eating, "There are some things I would like to talk with you about."

"Such as?" asked Lily.

"1st of all, I have a very serious concern about your friend Devon and I think you may be the only 1 who can help him."

"What is your concern?" asked Lily. Lily got a sudden sinking feeling that Harry knew something she didn't and that it definitely was not good.

"When I was picking you up at King's Cross, I couldn't help but notice how overweight that boy is." said Harry matter of factly.

"He was noticeably overweight when I met him on September 1st but he is much more overweight now," explained Lily.

"What can you tell me about Devon's eating habits?" Harry asked Lily.

Lily explained to Harry in detail the mammoth portions that Devon had eaten at 95% of the meals that term and provided Harry with specific examples of Devon's giant appetite.

"There's something else as well," offered James, "Devon has been a heavy beer drinker since arriving at Hogwarts. Alcohol is terrible for a person's weight."

"Lily," said Harry clearly, "People who are overweight, especially those who are significantly overweight, are at much greater risk for numerous health problems, including heart disease and heart attack. Now, it is much easier for witches and wizards to lose weight than it is for muggles. The good news is that "dieting" is not needed for witches and wizards to lose weight as they can easily lose weight though a specialized exercise program. But Devon needs to alter his eating habits. He doesn't need to go on a diet and he can eat the foods he wants but he needs to start eating "normal" portions like you do.

"Where do I come in? asked Lily nervously, "I have privately had the same concern but I don't see how I can do anything about it."

"What you need to do," Harry instructed Lily, "Is to talk to Devon and make him understand how unhealthy it is for him to be overweight and convince him to change his lifestyle, specifically, his eating habits."

"Harry," said Lily uncomfortably, "I promised Devon very early on that I would always be a non interfering friend. And I certainly don't need 1 of my BFFs angry with me."

"You must be tactful with your approach," said Harry clearly, "Go slowly. Make it clear before you introduce the specific topic that you are concerned about Devon and that you have something you wish to discuss with him out of concern for him. And if you can think of any way of motivating Devon to lose weight, put it in too."

There was a minute of silence.

"OHH!" said Lily in a voice that oozed optimism, "I know exactly how I can get through to Devon and what I can do to motivate him. I know he trusts me more than anyone he has ever known so that should help too."

"That is the very reason I think you may be the only 1 who can help him," Harry told Lily, "He might think another person was trying to force certain morals on him or that that person was just being nosy and/or interfering. If he hears from you I think he will realize you are intervening and coming to him because you care about him. You can choose the time and setting you feel most appropriate."

"Okay, "promised Lily, "I will talk to Devon on New Year's Eve night and see if I can convince him to change his eating habits as a New Year's resolution."

"That's perfect, Lily," agreed Harry, "I will also give you a sheet listing exercises to help witches and wizards lose weight to give to Devon, "finished Harry.

"Harry, I'm really glad you brought this issue to my attention and I think Devon will be pleasantly surprised by how much his life improves and in how many ways after he loses weight."

"Speaking of which, there is a slight change in plans. You and James will be sent to Devon's house on December 30th rather than December 31st, as will Hugo. Hugo will arrive a little later than you 2. Dudley has agreed to let Devon, Gary, Todd, and Miles have their day to themselves on December 29th. I have some important stuff to do at work on December 30th, and so does Hermione. Ginny is going to Romania for a few days to visit Charlie. Albus, Hermione and I have arranged with Parvati that you and Rose will spend December 30th through January 1st at Pamela's house. James and Lily, it is still the plan for Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie to arrive at Devon's on New Year's Eve. "

"What about my owl, though?" asked Albus, "Parvati doesn't allow animals in her house."

"Neither do Dudley and Debra," James reminded Harry, "At least not according to Devon and he would know."

"They can be left at home. They don't need constant supervision," supplied Harry,

"Any other topics?" asked Lily.

"1 more," said Harry, "James, Albus, Lily, I'd like to give you 3 some advice on the Hogwarts Writing Competition."

"What is it?" asked James eagerly, "I want to win that Old Faithful bar so badly. Ever since having that Old Faithful bar on Halloween I've yearned for another taste of Old Faithful ever since."

"James, you were supposed to give your Halloween candy to Lily after that bet you lost with her on the Quidditch European Championship." said Harry clearly.

"I canceled that bet because it ultimately would have been a huge bummer for me to have been in the Great Hall or Gryffindor Tower with no Halloween candy while everyone else had a full bag full," said James without a tent of guilt, "I'll admit that I did Lily a disservice by not informing her of my decision to cancel that bet beforehand. I had known since at least the teens of October that I had chosen to cancel that bet and I have should have told her then instead of her finding out on Halloween morning. I did apologize to Lily for not informing her of my decision in a more timely manner. But, I, I couldn't be the only 1 without candy on Halloween."

"James," said Harry sharply, "You can't just "cancel" a bet because you don't like the outcome. When you make a bet you agree to abide by the terms of the bet. You agreed to take a risk to get a reward. You have to accept the risk when making a bet. That's what a bet is. You can't just "cancel" a bet after the fact."

"Lily and I never did anything to make that bet legal or binding and there are plenty of ways to do so," James defended himself in a fierce voice.

"Harry, James," said Albus firmly, "Neither of you is going to change the others mind on this topic so you might as well drop it."

Lily realized that Albus was right and took it upon herself to revert the conversation to the topic at hand.

"Your advice for the Hogwarts Writing Competition is?" Lily asked Harry,

"Write from your heart," said Harry decisively, "And don't attempt to try to write a paper based on what you think the judges might like. Don't turn in a contrived paper. Be sincere, be genuine, write what you want to write, and give it your best shot. Be true to yourself. Give it your best shot. Do your best and let the placement fall where it may. If you do your best, you'll have a lot to be proud of."

"Sound advice, Harry," said Lily approvingly, "That's exactly how I had planned to approach the competition."

Harry smiled at Lily.

After they were done eating, Harry paid the bill for their food and they headed home.

Later that night, Lily asked James to come to her room.

"James," said Lily emotionally, "I just wanted to say that I am truly gratified by what you, Devon, and Hugo did for me this Christmas."

Lily pointed at the memory vials, photo album, and portraits that had been James's, Devon's and Hugo's gifts.

"They were best gifts I got this year and easily the most meaningful gifts I have ever received, especially the portraits. I am going to hang them up in my room at Hogwarts when we get back," said Lily genuinely.

"Devon, Hugo, and myself had some discussions amongst ourselves about what we wanted to get you for Christmas. All 3 of us agreed that we really wanted to do something special for you. In the early stages we discussed buying you some really nice upscale gifts. Ultimately, Hugo, Devon, and myself concluded as a team that you would appreciate meaningful gifts more than extravagant or expensive gifts."

"Hugo, Devon, and you were 100% right about that," said Lily sincerely, "What you, Devon, and Hugo did for me in making those gifts has 900 octillion to the 900 octillionth power times more meaning than ANY straight out store bought gift would have. It was really special to me that those closest to me understood that family, friends, people, and experiences are the things that really matter to me and gave me gifts that will help me retain and cherish those meanings."

"That was EXACTLY what Devon, Hugo, and I intended when we put those gifts together for you," said James in a heartfelt voice., "I'm really glad we could give you such meaningful gifts. And to be clear about 1 thing, all 3 of us really did work on all 3 gifts so each of the 3 gifts was a joint effort by Hugo, Devon, and myself. It's gratifying to know how much our gifts meant to you."

"Thanks again, James," said Lily with a smile, "I'll have to tell Hugo and Devon how much these gifts meant to me next time I see them."

"So did you enjoy the day today? "James asked Lily

"Very much so," said Lily sincerely, "Christmas is about family and I'm delighted we could all be together today."

"Agreed," said James warmly, "I'm in league with people like Ainsley and Ginny in terms of agreeing with Hogwarts now being closed for Christmas."

"So I am," said Lily happily, "And I look forward to the mission Harry gave me at dinner today. I have a wonderful opportunity to help a friend turn his life around."

"You will get through to Devon, I know you will," said James confidently.

"Thank you for the support, James," said Lily gratefully.

"I love you big sis," said James, giving Lily a hug.

"I love you too baby bro," replied Lily, returning the hug.

James left for bed and Lily called it a day herself.

On Monday, December 30th at, 8:30 a.m. after breakfast, Harry handed Albus some floo powder and Albus stepped into the fireplace calling "Patil Pavilion." and vanished.

Harry next gave Lily the sheet of weight loss exercises to give to Devon.

Then, he gave James and Lily sponge portkeys that would take them to Devon's house at 8:35 a.m.

"James!, Lily,!" James and Lily heard 4 voices call out...


	19. A Heart to Heart Talk to Help a Friend

Devon, Gary, Todd, and Miles came running towards James and Lily and Devon gave Lily a massive hug.

"It's great to see you again, sweetie pie Lily," said Devon jubilantly.

"It's great to see you again, dear Devon," said Lily warmly, "And it's good to see you 3 again as well, "she added to Gary, Todd, and Miles.

"The feeling is mutual," said Miles in a joyful voice.

"And we're happy to see you again as well, James," added Gary.

"I'm glad to be here," replied James happily.

"We've been looking forward to your arrival," Todd told James and Lily.

"So have we," chorused James and Lily.

Devon's parents, Dudley and Debra Dursley now came to greet them but before any introductions could take place Hugo arrived.

Lily ran to greet Hugo.

"I've missed you, Lily," said Hugo as he and Lily embraced.

"I've missed you too, Hugo," said Lily.

Dudley and Debra now did introduce themselves properly. Dudley and Debra were pleasant in their ways but chose not to engage in much conversation. They knew Devon was eager to show Hugo, James, and Lily his room and decided to let him get on with it after some quick greetings. The same would hold true tomorrow when Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie arrived.

"Hey, Lily, let me show you my room, "said Devon eagerly.

Devon showed James, Hugo, and Lily to his bedroom as Gary, Todd, and Miles tagged along. Devon's room was very spacious. He had a long bed topped with navy colored sheets and pillowcase. Towards the front of the room was a brown desk with several drawers. Devon's closets were at the end of the room and they could make out his Hogwarts robes hanging amongst his muggle clothing. There were various types of shelves along the walls. Lily noticed that Devon seemed fond of trains. He had a large collection of model trains, including 1 with square wheels on its caboose. He also had a large collection of Batman and Superman comics and the walls were adorned with everything from pictures of Dudley, Debra, Devon, and combinations thereof to Star Wars posters. On his desk was a paperback copy of The Magician's Nephew with an Aslan themed bookmark in it. This was a major difference between Dudley and Devon. Dudley hated reading and Devon enjoyed reading. They all spent some time taking in Devon's room.

Lily then asked for a word with only Devon and Hugo and the others all went down to the living room. Lily thanked Hugo and Devon for their Christmas gifts to her and expressed how much they had meant to her and they, like James, expressed how much it had meant to them to be able to do that for her.

Dudley and Debra had decided to save their "outings" for the days everyone would be with them so December 30th was spent at the Dursley's house.

Hugo, Devon, James, Todd, Gary, Miles Lily spent the day playing candy land, listening to music on Devon's MP3 player, and chit chatting. As was often the case with this septet of people, they really cared more about enjoying each other's company than about what they were specifically doing or talking about. At dinner Dudley ordered several large pepperoni pizzas and they had a pizza party.

On New Year's Eve, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie arrived and they all had a nice outing that day going to a water park. They all played on Slip n Slides, swam, (Lily was clearly the best swimmer of them all.), had water balloon fights, (James won the overwhelming majority of these.), had fun splashing each other, and did various types of races. It was a really fun outing for them all. Then they took in a screening of the original 1977 Star Wars movie on the big screen at a theater that was owned by the Dursleys. They usually rented out the theater to groups as a money making venture but today they had reserved it for themselves so that Devon and all of his friends could see Star Wars on the big screen together.

At 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve when they all back at the Dursley household, Lily told Devon, "Devon, let's go up to your room, I need to talk to you about something 1 on 1 ."

Devon and Lily went up to Devon's room and sat facing each other on Devon's bed.

"Devon," said Lily slowly, "This is going to be an uncomfortable conversation, at least at 1st."

"What is it Lily? "asked Devon, "What's on your mind?"

"Devon," continued Lily with hesitation, "Look I know I promised you way back in September that I would always be a non interfering friend. But I really care about you and there is something I wish to discuss with you because I care about you. It is possible that you will be aggravated, irritated, or even angry with what I have to say. But I there's something I think needs to be brought to your attention."

"Lily," said Devon sincerely, "I know how much you care about me and I trust you implicitly. If I must have a conversation about an uncomfortable or touchy topic then you are the right person to have it with me."

"Well, "said Lily tentatively, "I noticed when I met you on September 1st that you are overweight. You have become much more overweight since then."

"And that's okay," said Devon indifferently, "I am not a self conscious or sensitive person and I couldn't care less if I'm not exactly good looking."

Lily had anticipated this. She had known all along that she would not be able to use the potential improvement of Devon's physical appearance as a motivating factor. In fact she suspected that if Devon had cared about his physical appearance that he would have already made an effort to do something about his weight problem.

"Devon," said Lily clearly, "I understand that your physical appearance is not of any concern to you. But there are still very important reasons why you should lose weight and you also still have much to gain by losing weight."

"Why would it be so important for me to lose weight?" Devon asked Lily.

"The reason why it is very important not to be overweight and especially not significantly overweight is that overweight people are at much higher risk for numerous health problems, including heart disease and heart attack."

There was a long uncomfortable silence that followed this. This eerie silence lasted several minutes and several nanoseconds.

"Devon," said Lily quietly, "I'll be honest with you, I think Dudley is very lucky to be alive after his childhood eating habits. Harry has told me that Dudley went on a diet when he was 14 because Smeltings did not carry a school uniform big enough for him."

"That is consistent with what Dudley himself has told me," confirmed Devon.

"You see," said Lily, "It is my belief that if it wasn't for that turn of fate that required Dudley to change his eating habits, he may well have continued them through his teenage years. "

"I see where you're coming from, Lily," said Devon slowly as Lily's words started to sink in on him, "You are truly concerned that I may meet an early end and you are intervening while you think I can still be helped."

"That's the idea, Devon," said Lily gently, "I love you and I care about you and I am coming to you about this issue because I care about you. Look, I know that I promised you that I would always be a non interfering friend-

"That's quite alright," said Devon, "A promise is not a contract, more like a plan."

"Here's the good news," said Lily clearly, "You will not have to go on a diet. Witches and wizards can easily lose weight through exercise. But you will need to change your eating habits after you lose the weight you need to lose in order to keep it off."

"What must I do? "asked Devon.

"It's not as bad as it sounds, "said Lily quickly, "You do not have to give up any particular foods. You can still eat what you want. What you need to do in terms of changing your eating habits is you need to stop eating those mammoth portions you ate at 95% of meals. You need to start eating normal portions like I do."

"I see," said Devon lamely.

"Let me provide you with some motivation," said Lily briskly, "You know how you wanted to try out for Chaser this year and couldn't even make it past the basic flying test stage?"

"I wasn't even disappointed about that because I knew I was a long shot to make the team. I became resigned years ago to the fact that I'm rubbish at sports," answered Devon.

"If you lose weight you will find great improvement in your agility, speed, and stamina. If you are more agile, are faster, and have greater endurance, then it is possible you may discover that you had some talent for sports that was hidden by your being out of shape." replied Lily crisply.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Devon skeptically.

"By no means is it a guarantee that such would be the case but the possibility certainly exists. If you can try playing sports with a proper body, you can find out for sure if you actually have any skill or not," explained Lily, "Rachel Robins is a 7th year this year so that means that 1 Chaser spot will be open next year."

For a nanosecond Devon's eyes seemed to light at that prospect. Then they quickly receded.

"I would love another shot at a Chaser position," admitted Devon, "But I can tell you now that I will not be trying out for that Chaser spot next year because I know Hugo will want to go out for that spot. With only 1 spot open, well, I would hate to be the 1 to deny Hugo. You have to remember that Hugo and I have become much closer ever since I and my yew wand saved Hugo. I would not want to be the 1 to break Hugo's heart."

"That's a terrible reason for you to choose not to try out," said Lily sharply, "Hugo is more than mature enough to be able to handle things not going his way in the right way. If you were to make the team, I know Hugo would be very proud of you and happy for you. And if it did come down to you beating Hugo, I think he would be the 1st 1 to congratulate you. And Hugo really cares about Gryffindor. Hugo would want Gryffindor to field the best possible team. I think there could be some very healthy friendly competition between you and Hugo if you were to both try out."

Devon tried to take in what Lily was saying here but said nothing so Lily eventually continued.

"I have been closer to Hugo than anyone else since he and I were babies," said Lily firmly, "I am sure that Hugo would rather earn his spot by going against more completion and not less if he were going to be on the team. And believe me, he truly would be happy for you if you got the spot."

At long last, Devon nodded.

"You're right, Lily. I really should give a shot at going out for that Chaser spot if that's what I really want to do. And even if I don't get the spot, just showing improvement at sports/flying would be something to be proud of," said Devon.

"Devon," said Lily matter of factly, "The biggest thing you have to gain by losing weight and changing your eating habits is feeling better."

"Elaborate," requested Devon.

"It's hard to explain, but you will feel better as a result of being healthier and in better shape once you lose weight, "said Lily, "And you will feel better once you start eating normal portions. Can you think of a specific day that you really felt good this past term?"

"1 such day would be the day of Hugo's recovery. Of course I was so relived that Hugo was going to be okay and that was also the day I came to appreciate the good in my yew wand and overcame my fears that it would cause my to go bad. Not only did I feel great emotionally that day but it was 1 of my best days this past term for feeling physically good as we- Ohhhhhh!"

"Realized it, haven't you, Devon, said Lily with a smile.

"I had to eat only normal portions that day because our food was delivered to the hospital wing and we were only sent enough for each of us to eat a normal portion," remembered Devon, "I felt physically good that day because I wasn't stuffed and had a proper amount of food in my system."

"How would you like to feel that good all the time?" asked Lily cheerfully, already knowing the answer.

"I'm changing my eating habits effective immediately," said Devon happily. "It will be an incredible improvement to be able to feel that good every day! 1 question though. Could exceptions be made for Hogwarts feasts such as the 1 that will be held on the night the winners of the Hogwarts Writing Competition are announced?"

"You can eat more than normal occasionally on such feast days. But even then you need to stick to eating the same portions within that context as everyone else. And you also need to eat the same portions as everyone else on the Hogwarts Express." replied Lily.

"Lily? "asked Devon, "Would you be willing to help me by putting my food on my plate for me at Hogwarts? I would tell you which foods I wanted and you would place the proper portions on my plate?"

"No," said Lily flatly, "I am your 2nd cousin and I am your BFF but I am not your babysitter. You need to learn to take responsibility for your own life. I can give you friendly reminders if I notice you are reverting to your old habits but ultimately you need to take responsibility for yourself. My job was to make you aware of the poor habits you have developed. You're the 1 who needs to change them. My mission was to help you by making you see that you needed to help yourself."

Devon nodded, realizing that Lily was right.

"You sure knew how to get through to me, Lily, "said Devon with a grin. Then, turning more serious, he said in a very heartfelt voice, "Lily, you know, there is a difference between a buddy and a friend and you have proven yourself a friend over and over again since I met you. It took a lot of onions on your part to confront me about this issue. Sometimes part of being a true friend is taking on a friend head on and I admire you for doing so."

"I honestly feared the possibility that our friendship might be strained," admitted Lily, "But I had to take that chance. Your lifestyle or at least part of your lifestyle was spiraling out of control and I had to intervene to save you from yourself. If that meant having 1 of my BFFs angry with me for a bit then that would be a lot better than having to grieve for him before he was 30. I give you credit for being open minded enough to listen to what I had to say and humble enough to admit that you need to change."

"it's clear what I must do after I've lost weight, "said Devon matter of factly, "But I don't know how I'm going to lose the weight I need to lose."

"I have a sheet of weight loss exercises to give you," said Lily matter of factly , pulling the sheet of paper with the list of weight loss exercises out of her pocket and handing it to Devon.

"Decide what you are most comfortable with after reading over the options." Lily advised Devon.

"You'll see a slimmed down Devon Dursley on the Hogwarts Express," said Devon confidently.

Later that night Hugo, Devon, James, Gary, Miles, Todd, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily, along with Dudley and Debra found themselves sitting outside on the lawn. It was a cool and breezy night that they all found quite comfortable. It so happened that the Dursley's house was located so that fireworks from nearby New Year's celebrations could easily seen out back. This meant they could enjoy New Year's fireworks without having to leave the house.

In the final minute of 2019 Dudley slowly lowered a makeshift ball he and Debra had set up and when 2020 had arrived the as the ball hit the ground the number 2020 appeared in white lights.

"Welcome to 2020!" said Devon the nanosecond he saw the number 2020 light up.

Lily thought to herself how Devon that was. Devon always wanted to go 1st and here he made sure that he spoke the 1st words of 2020.

They all quickly heard loud bangs from nearby and turned their eyes skyward for the fireworks show.

These fireworks lit up the night skies with brilliant tents of red, green, yellow, blue, orange, and white, not to mention several multicolor displays.

Hugo, Devon, James, Gary, Miles, Todd, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily as well as Dudley and Debra were quiet and did not talk during this display. They just took it in.

Lily was feeling good. She felt great about how her talk with Devon had gone and she was 100% sure that Devon would succeed in making the lifestyle changes he needed to make.


	20. Hogwarts Writing Competition Winners

AN: Skipping ahead in time here to the night the winners of the Hogwarts Writing Competition are announced. Some notes of interest before then.

James, Hugo, Devon, Todd, Gary, Miles, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all spent New Year's Day at Devon's house. Before everyone left Devon's they all came to an agreement to meet up again at the Potter's house in July.

Devon's weight loss program went exceptionally well. The sheet of paper listing the possible weight loss exercises contained both simple exercises that required only 1s person and more involving exercises that required the use of equipment. Devon realized that the magnitude of his weight problem meant that he needed to do these more involving exercises. He did not possess such equipment at home so he used the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts as an Exercise Room. This room provided all the necessary equipment for Devon to do the more involving weight loss exercises he felt he needed to do. These exercises included long jumping through hoola hoops as well as the use of treadmills, bikes, and trampolines, amongst other things. To Lily's great delight, her intervention was not necessary again after her talk with Devon on New Year's Eve. As Lily had hoped, Devon started to take responsibility for his own life. He started to eat normal portions and he also took James's advice and gave up beer. Devon did indeed start to feel loads better once he'd started eating normal portions, especially after his weight was down to an appropriate weight for his age and height. He had a lot of weight to lose but had lost all he needed to lose by late February.

The 1st Saturday into term Hufflepuff beat Slytherin in a Quidditch match. In mid February, Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw. Although the Chasers struggled on this particular day with Ainsley scoring only 1 goal and Rachel and Roxanne being shut out completely, another shutout from Keeper Samantha Saver combined with Lily catching the snitch in 5 minutes allowed Gryffindor to win 160-0. In a meaningless match in late March, Ravenclaw beat Slytherin. Slytherin is locked into a 4th place finish at 0-3, Ravenclaw is locked into 3rd place at 1-2, and whichever team wins the yet to be played Quidditch final between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor will win the Quidditch Cup at 3-0 and the loser finishing in 2nd place at 2-1. (This match will be shown in a future chapter.)

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily decided to postpone the beginning of the reading of the books on the history of the Potters and the Dursleys originally planned to start in January until Sunday April 26th, 2020.

A box for students to submit entries to the Hogwarts Writing Competition was placed in the Great Hall as planned from January 6th through March 27th, At the request of a number of parents, the bottle of Budweiser originally meant to be a 3rd place prize was removed. A bottle of Coca Cola Classic replaced it in the prize package.

Chapter below.

On Friday, April 10th, 2020 at 5 p.m. Hogwarts time, the students all gathered in the Great Hall for the big BBQ feast and the announcement of the winners of the Hogwarts Writing Competition.

On this night, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all took 7 seats in a row at the Gryffindor table.

As had been promised, Hogwarts offered barbequed chicken, hot dogs, and hamburgers. Grilled corn was also offered and Sierra Mist was the drink on this night.

Hugo, Devon, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all took 1 of everything. They also added mustard and ketchup to their hamburgers and hot dogs and BBQ sauce to their chicken. Although everyone was eager to hear who the winners were, the food was so tasty that everyone took his or her time to savor the flavors. But once the plates had cleared, everyone's attention quickly darted to the front of the Great Hall.

The area that had once held the box for students to put their papers into now had tables standing on it that held the prizes.

There was a table with 100 galleons, a bronze medal, and a bottle of Coca Cola Classic for the 3rd place winner. There was a table with 500 galleons, a silver medal, and a slab of Honeydukes chocolate for the 2nd place winner. What caught everyone's attention most, however, was that the 1st place table had 2 separate piles of 1000 galleons, 2 gold medals, and 2 Old Faithful bars. Clearly had there had been a tie for 1st place.

Standing beside the prize tables were the 4 judges, Flitwick, Macmillan, McGonagall, and Longbottom.

"Attention," called Professor McGonagall into her purple megaphone, "Let me explain how the process of announcing the winners will work. The 1st thing I should say is that all the prize winners will be announced 1st and THEN the winning ideas will be revealed. I will begin by announcing some honorable mentions. These are people who turned in papers which we feel were exceptionally well written but whose ideas will ultimately not be used. As it so happens, exactly 4 people turned in papers with suggestions that are actually going to come into fruition at Hogwarts. With that being as it is, the judges all felt that all 4 deserved to place. Furthermore, it was such a close call for 1st place that the judges decided that it was fairest to rule these 2 papers a 1st place tie. As a whole, everyone did a great job expressing their perspectives on how their lives at Hogwarts are at present time and have been since they've arrived. Good ideas for what changes Hogwarts should undergo were fewer and further between. That's not to say that a few of the unused ideas didn't have some merit. In some cases it was felt after consideration that keeping things as is was better than change. Out of respect for the feelings of those whose ideas will not be used, none of the unused proposals will be revealed. The honorable mentions are very well written papers from students who are clearly great writers but whose ideas will not be used. The honorable mentionable students will be called forward and given certificates of quality writing along with a 10 galleon gift card to Diagon Alley good in any shop in Diagon Alley. The prize winners will be revealed in reverse order and will come forward to collect their prizes as called. When everyone is seated again the prize winning ideas will be revealed. Each prize placer will be called back up when his or her idea is revealed."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"The following students have been deemed worthy of honorable mention, "said McGonagall clearly, "From Ravenclaw, 6th year, Jill Kirke."

Jill Kirke was a muggleborn with dark brown hair and brown eyes who was slightly taller than average. She rose from the Ravenclaw table and went up to McGonagall to collect her certificate and gift card. She had a small smile as she collected them, not too overjoyed, but still pleased that judges saw fit to recognize her paper as a quality paper even if her ideas were rejected in the end. When Jill was reseated McGonagall called out the 2nd honorable mention.

"From Hufflepuff, 4th year, Susan Bones Jr,"

Susan Bones Jr was a redhead with pigtails. Her reaction to being an honorable mention was a carbon copy of Jill's. Susan was happy but not ecstatic. She was pleased that her paper had been recognized as well written. When Susan was back at the Hufflepuff table, McGonagall called out the final honorable mention.

"From Gryffindor, 1st year, Stephanie Baylac."

"WOW!", said Stephanie, running up to McGonagall with much more enthusiasm than Jill or Susan had shown.

Stephanie looked at Flitwick, McMillian, Longbottom, and McGonagall and said pleasantly , "Thanks for acknowledging my paper as a well written paper. I'm very passionate about writing."

"And that showed in your entry, Miss Baylac," said McGonagall with a smile, "If the results for this completion were based on effort and writing quality alone you would have won 1st prize."

Stephanie grinned widely at this.

"It feels great as someone who loves writing to know that my writing talent is appreciated," said Stephanie in a warm voice with = warmth in her eyes.

McGonagall presented Stephanie with her certificate of quality writing and her gift card and she returned to her friends at the Gryffindor table.

"Congratulations, Stephanie," said Hugo, Devon, James, Ainsley, Samantha and Lily in unison.

But they didn't have time to say any more than that because McGonagall was back to business the next nanosecond.

"And now what you've all been waiting for," said McGonagall, "The award for 3rd prize goes to... from Slytherin, 5th year, Megan Nash."

Megan walked up to the 3rd place table and stood on the podium in front of it. Her face showed a mixture of joy and pride.

The Slytherin table began cheering for Megan while 2 different and opposite reactions occurred at the Gryffindor table.

Some Gryffindors, especially Albus, booed loudly when Megan's name was read and then started chanting "Snakes are slimy!" and "Slytherin sucks!" at the top of their lungs.

However, James, Lily, and Hugo were clapping and chanting "Megan, Megan." loudly.

James was friends with Megan having met and worked with her in class as she was in his year. Hugo, and Lily, meanwhile, were remembering the kindness Megan had shown Lily when Lily had been shaken by Phillip Edgecombe's attack during the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match.

"Hey, Albus, don't be mean to my friend," said James very angrily.

"YOU SHOULDN'T BE FRIENDS WITH SLYTHERINS YOU NUMBSKULL!" roared Albus furiously, "SLYTHERINS ARE ASSHOLES AND DARK WIZARDS!"

"Megan is a good person and a good friend," James defended his friend fiercely, "I should know as I've shared classes with her for almost 5 years!"

"And that's not all," said Lily firmly, "After that sleezeball Edgecombe attacked me during the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match, Megan, who remember is a Chaser for Slytherin, put aside her disappointment at being shut out 310-0 to come over and comfort me. She was very classy and even gave me chocolate to make me feel better."

"That was a moment that made me realize that there are good Slytherins," piped up Hugo, "I use to think of Slytherin as the house of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort-

"WHICH IT IS!" bellowed Albus.

"But I know now that we must be open minded. Megan proved me wrong then. She is a good Slytherin and was even so at a time when her own fortunes were bad." finished Hugo.

Albus glared at James, Hugo, and Lily.

As Megan had the bronze medal placed around her neck and accepted her 100 galleon prize and bottle of Coca Cola Classic, both the Slytherin table, and James, Hugo, and Lily went on chanting "Megan, Megan," louder than ever.

Truthfully, Megan did feel a bit hurt by the judgmental attitude of those booing her. After all, none of those booing her actually knew her. Still, her predominant feeling as she looked around the hall was appreciation for those people who were supporting her.

After Megan had her prizes, McGonagall proceeded with the prize announcements and called, "2nd prize goes to, from Gryffindor, 1st year, Samantha Saver!"

"YES! YES! YES!" screamed Samantha in an elated voice, "I did it! I did it! I did it! I placed! I placed! I placed! And now I know my idea will be used! YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT!"

Samantha practically galloped up to the 2nd place table and stood on the podium in front of it. As she took her spot, she gave a thumbs up to James.

Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily all cheered for Samantha for a few seconds and chanted "SAMANTHA! SAMANTHA!" a few times. Then they took in Samantha's coming to this point.

"This is amazing," said Ainsley, "Samantha at least at 1st didn't want to enter even though she had ideas she wanted to put forward because she didn't want to be a loser."

"I said all along that she should enter, "said Lily matter of factly, "But I think it was James's encouragement that ultimately changed her mind and convinced her to enter."

"I think that is why she gave me that thumbs up, "said James, "She was thanking me for giving her that encouragement. I'm so proud of her. She obviously put her mind and heart into it and committed to it if she produced a 2nd place paper."

"I'm really proud of her as well," said Devon brightly, "Great things can happen when a person goes all in."

"We all are very proud of Samantha," beamed Lily, "I can't wait to see what her prize winning idea was."

Samantha had the silver medal placed around her neck and took the slab of Honeydukes chocolates and 500 galleons. After that presentation finished McGongall got to what they all been dying to know. Who were the 1st place winners?"

"1st prize, "said McGonagall clearly, "Is a tie. The winners are both from Gryffindor. The 1st place tie is between 5th year James Potter and 1st year Lily Potter!"

For a nanosecond James and Lily sat stunned. Then, without warning, they both leapt from their seats and chest bumped each other.

"This is surreal, "said James with tears of happiness coming down his face, "We've tied as champions! Does it get any better than that, big sis?"

"Nothing could feel better than this, baby bro," responded Lily emotionally, "For us to tie as champions-"

James and Lily walked very slowly up to the 1st place prize table with their arms around each other. Both were tearful and both unexplainable feelings inside of them.

There was the joy of winning but there was also the meaningfulness that came from sharing it with each other.

As they walked, the whole hall was awash in deafening cheers. Most people from all 4 houses were stomping their feet, clapping their hands, and excitedly chanting, "POTTER! POTTER!"

Of course, Hugo and Devon were cheering the loudest with Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie not far behind. But, really, just about everyone was supporting them.

"This is an incredible scene," said Devon happily, "To see my BFF share 1st prize with her brother, a close friend of mine in his own right, is just wonderful;."

"I couldn't be happier for James and Lily," said Hugo meaningfully.

"It'll be awesome to find out what ideas they won with," said Ainsley eagerly.

James and Lily smiled widely and their eyes glowed as the gold medals were placed around their necks. They happily grabbed their 1000 galleons each and to James' delight, the Old Faithful Bars.

At this point pictures were taken of the winners all standing together. Then everyone went back to their seats.

"I'm so proud of you and so happy for you, big sis," said James warmly as he hugged Lily as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"I'm just as proud of and just as happy for you, baby bro," smiled Lily as she hugged James back.

"And we got Old Faithful Bars as prizes," smiled James in delight.

There wasn't much time to celebrate though because McGonagall now called Megan back to the front of the Great Hall to have her idea revealed.


	21. Winning Ideas

Megan was again standing in front of the 3rd place table with her bronze medal around her neck and her 100 galleons and bottle of Coca Cola Classic in her hands.

Professor McGonagall now grabbed her purple megaphone again and said in a crisp clear voice. "Miss Nash's paper expressed concern that Hogwarts has failed to give its students full opportunity to prepare themselves for their careers due to what she says is a lack of useful information. An issue of concern expressed by Miss Nash centered around the electives students take starting in 3rd year. Miss Nash noted the possibility that Hogwarts students, especially muggleborns and those raised in muggle households, may not have knowledge of what types of careers are available in the Wizarding World."

There were nods from just about every student in years 1-5 who had not been raised in a Wizarding household and even a few 6th and 7th years who had not found the pamphlets and career advice offered in late 5th year very useful.

"As such," continued McGonagall, "It stands to reason that these same students would not understand which subjects are most useful with which careers."

There were more nods from those students who had not been raised in the Wizarding World.

"Miss Nash's paper offered several ideas and we will be implementing her ideas starting with the lead up to the 2020-2021 school year," said McGonagall matter of factly.

Everyone's mouth was shut as each student in the Great Hall listened intently to what McGonagall was saying.

"1st of all, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, all 2nd years letters will be accompanied by a book on the various types of careers that are available to witches and wizards.," said Professor McGonagall, "And I don't mean pamphlets or flyers. I mean an actual full length book that will describe the various careers that are available to witches and wizards, what subjects are most useful for each occupation, and, where applicable, what kind of post educational tests and qualifications are required for certain jobs. These descriptions will be detailed and give young witches and wizards a good idea of what it entails to be an Auror, Healer, Hogwarts Professor, etc. Students will be expected to read these books on their own time over the September-February time period of their 2nd years and also to keep the books as future references. It is the hope of the judges and of Miss Nash that the information provided in these books will allow students to make better decisions about which electives to pursue in 3rd year as well which courses to continue on with into N.E.W.T. years. Students currently in years 2-7 may request a copy of this book as well. When this year's 1st years get their Hogwarts letters this August a copy of said book will accompany each student's letter and all future students shall receive this book prior to starting 2nd year. Also students currently in years 2-4 may request an option to change electives for next year. See me before going home for the summer if you have such a wish and I will provide you with the necessary information. Miss Nash was awarded 3rd place for her idea being 1 that will allow students to make more use of their school years at Hogwarts to graduate better prepared for careers. Any questions?"

"What will this book be called?" asked Ainsley.

"It will be titled Wizarding Work and subtitled An Exploration of Magic Careers and Occupations," answered McGonagall.

"Will we still be getting career advice in 5th year?" asked Susan

"Yes," replied McGonagall, "Miss Nash's idea of providing a detailed book on wizarding careers to 2nd years is intended to compliment rather replace career advice. Her idea was intended to expose alll students to wizarding careers early enough to be able to take potential career interests into account when choosing electives. However, even with more information available to them, it is unreasonable to expect all students to know which careers they will want to pursue as early as 2nd year. This is why Miss Nash has also proposed that students be given the option of changing electives after each school year. In this way, a student who realizes he or she is going down the wrong road has an avenue to correct his or her path. This option will be offered every year starting this year. Any student wishing to exercise this option should come to my office and I'll give you the information you need to execute such a change. Some courses may require students joining late to do catch up work and others may be easy to just jump into. I'll discuss your individual situation with you in my office should you make the choice to switch electives. "

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"It is the hope of the judges that when career advice does come around in 5th year, having had knowledge of wizard work for longer and having made better choices of electives will help the students come into career advice better prepared so that the staff is using these meetings for helpful discussions as opposed to have to spend a lot of time just showing a number of students the ropes. Now before she returns to her seat, let's have a round of applause for Miss Megan Nash, 5th year Slytherin."

Most people in the hall clapped and as she walked back towards her seat Megan found herself having her hand shaken by muggleborn and muggle raised students from each of the 4 houses.

This lasted a few minutes before Professor McGonagall decided to move on and present Samantha's idea.

"Will Miss Saver please come forward?" spoke Professor McGonagall.

Samantha raced up to the 2nd place table, waving her silver medal at everyone she passed.

"While Miss Nash's ideas will help Hogwarts better prepare students for life after Hogwarts, Miss Saver's ideas will make being a Hogwarts student a more comfortable experience. Miss Saver's paper put forth the idea that a 4 day school week would be more beneficial to Hogwarts students than a 5 day school week. Miss Saver feels that it would be in the best interests of students to have Fridays of from classes. Her thoughts on the matter are that by having Fridays off, students could have a full day to work on their homework without having to cram it on weekends or the weeknights before class. Basically, by going to a 4 day school week in trems of classes, students will Fridays, "freed up," to work on homework. Starting with the 2020-2021 school year, Hogwarts will be on a Monday-Thursday schedule for classes. This will allow students to use Fridays to do homework and study and free up their weekend time to really be weekend time. Some courses will be on a Monday and Wednesday schedule and others will be on a Tuesday and Thursday schedule."

Many students appreciated this idea but a number of Ravenclaws as well as a small group of academic minded Gryffindors led by Albus, Rose, and Pamela had a concern. It was Albus who spoke on this concern.

"That might sound like a good idea," said Albus skeptically, "But how do we know that these Fridays without classes will really be used for homework and study time as intended and that students won't just waste this time, say, playing Doddle Jump,"

"That is a fair question, Mr. Potter, " said McGonagall reasonably, "But Miss Saver foresaw this concern and included a mechanism that will ensure that classless Friday do get used for homework and studying."

"What is this mechanism?" asked Rose doubtfully.

"On these classless Fridays," said McGonagall clearly. "All students will be required to take at least 2 hours of library time and will be offered up to 4 hours of library time. Individual workstations will be set up in the library for each student. All students will be required to take 2 hours of homework/study time in the library every Friday from 10 a.m. till noon and will be offered optional hours of 9 a.m. till 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. till 2 p.m. "

"Will study groups be allowed during this time?" asked Pamela hopefully.

"No." said McGonagall firmly, "Students should be doing their own work. While study groups have never been banned at Hogwarts, the truth is that they are bad for students. Too often what happens in study groups is that 1 person becomes dominant and the others ride his or her coattails, preventing much of or even most of such a group from actually really learning as much as they would if they did their homework and studying on their own. "

The students in the hall seemed to accept this view as no complaints came forward. A nanosecond later McGonagall was talking again.

"Using Fridays for studying and homework rather than class time is not the only suggestion of Miss Saver's that is being implemented next school year. Though there was some reluctantance on the part of the staff, starting next school year, Hogsmeade weekends will be open to 2nd years. It is her view that Hogsmeade visits are more enjoyable for the younger students. And in fact the staff has noticed in the past that students in 3rd and 4th year really look forward to Hogsneade visits whereas the thrill and novelty of Hogsmeade has tended to have worn off for a number of students by 6th and 7th year. In fact it's not that uncommon for 6th and 7th years to decline Hogsmeade visits. We are NOT taking away Hogsmeade privileges from 6th or 7th years, only adding them for 2nd years to allow more Hogsmeade visits at a younger age when students tend to appreciate them more."

All the 1st years applauded and grinned loudly at this.

"That's it for Miss Saver's ideas, let's have a round of applause for Miss Saver."

Everyone clapped and Samantha retuned to the Gryffindor table telling everyone who would listen what great ideas she had had and how she had proved how brilliant she was by becoming a silver medalist. As she had when she had come to the table, she waved her silver medal around at everyone as she passed them. Once at the table, however, she gave James a heartfelt thanks.

"James," said Samantha with genuine sincerity, "I really want to thank you for all the encouragement you gave me with regards to the Hogwarts Writing Competition. Had it not been for you making me see that I had far more to potentially gain than to potentially lose by entering the competition and had it not been for your encouragement I would not have entered. So I just wanted to acknowledge that."

James smiled at Samantha.

"Samantha, I'm really proud of you," said James warmly, "Even with my encouragement, I know it wasn't the easiest thing for you to drop your paper into that box but you still had enough onions to do it in the end. Well done, Samantha."

Samantha smiled and started eating her Honeydukes slab chocolate prize.

Finally it was time for the winning brother and sister to have their ideas revealed.

"Will Mr. Potter and Miss Potter please come forward?'

As before, James and Lily walked forward to the 1st place table with their arms around each other.

"Mr. Potter and Miss Potter both put forth absolutely brilliant ideas with regards to wands and no they were not the same as each other," said McGonagall proudly.

There was a sharp attentiveness level in the Great Hall at these words. Many students felt their spines tingle when the word wands was mentioned in relation to upcoming changes at Hogwarts.

"Miss Potter's paper identified an issue that, quite frankly, the staff should have realized centuries ago. You have all heard the old sayings that "the wand chooses the wizard" and "you will never get such good results with another wizards wand," well, Miss Potter mentioned that a number of students come to Hogwarts with 2nd hand wands. Her paper made the observation that if the wand chooses the wizard and if you can never get such good results using another wizard's wand, witches and wizards who are using 2nd hand wands are at a severe disadvantage because a 2nd hand wand has obviously never chosen the witch or wizard using it. Miss Potter has suggested that Hogwarts require all students to come to the school with a 1st hand wand that has chosen them. This suggestion shall be implemented for the 2020-2021 school year. Now, the main reason why some Hogwarts students have come to school with 2nd hand wands is financial. Some families simply don't have it very good. While a fund does exist for Hogwarts students to get financial assistance to pay for school supplies, this fund only pays for books and robes and many of those have to be bought secondhand. For some parents and guardians, giving their sons and daughters 2nd hand wands has been their only option. At the request of Miss Potter, a new fund, to be named, Worthy Wands, will be set up. The money that is donated into this fund will be used to assist 1st year students who are unable to afford a 1st hand wand. Excess money in this fund shall be held in reserve and withdrawn to assist needy students whose wands should become damaged beyond repair during their time at Hogwarts so as to allow them to attain new wands that have also chosen them rather than 2nd hand wands. Current Hogwarts students who are presently using 2nd hand wands will also be able to get wands that have chosen them through this fund. Donations will be collected starting tonight. A collection bucket will be placed at the front of the Great Hall in a little bit. We'll continue to accept donations until the end of the school year. A similar donation period will be set up in future years."

There were cheers, nods of respect, and thumbs up all directed at Lily from all angles, but McGonagall quickly transitioned into James's idea.

"Mr. Potter's paper, meanwhile, spotted a gaped hole in wizarding occupations. That is. there are VERY few wandmakers. And if something were to happen to them, well, there are so few of them that we are only a few deaths in Great Britain away from having no wandmakers. This is a serious issue as a wand is a witch's or wizard's most crucial tool. Mr. Potter submitted the brilliant idea that Hogwarts offer wand making classes. Starting with the 2021-2022 school year. Hogwarts will offer wand making classes as an elective. Unfortunately, only students who started Hogwarts this year or will be starting Hogwarts next year or later will be eligible for this course as it absolutely requires being taken from 3rd year. There is no practical way to"catch up."

"Why aren't these wand making courses beginning next year?" asked Roxanne Weasley curiously.

"Because of logistics," said McGonagall briskly, "It's going to take some time for Hogwarts to set up an appropriate classroom for wand making courses and to procure the needed supplies."

The Great Hall was awash in wonder, especially the 1st years. None of them could explain what it felt like to know that wand making was going to be taught at Hogwarts and that they might be taking it.

Many people were looking up at James with wonder in their eyes.

The students and staff alike had to had to marvel at the brilliance and relevance of James's idea. Some were wondering why no one had thought of it before while others wre just taking it in. Either way, everyone had to be impressed by James.

"This concludes the Hogwarts Writing Competition for 2020. While we do not intend for the Hogwarts Writing Competition to become an annual event, the staff feels it to have been a smashing success and we may well hold another a few years down the road." finished McGonagall.

James and Lily slowly walked back to their seats at the Gryffindor looking at each other with quiet admiration in their eyes.

After the winning ideas were announced and everyone was back at their tables, James and Lily finally got started on their Old Faithful bars.

"Mmmm!" said James blissfully as he took his 1st bite, "Ever since getting my 1st taste of Old Faithful on Halloween I've been yearning to taste it again. It's every bit as awesome as I remember."

"You know", said Lily happily as she took her 1st bite, "I liked Old Faithful the 1st time I tried it. But I'm finding I love it this time around."

"That oftentimes happens with candies that 1 is less familiar with," said James simply, "Old Faithful had a quicker impact on me because I'm a marshmallow lover and because I love the combination of marshmallow and chocolate."

James's and Lily's family and friends were quiet as they both savored the yumminess of Old Faithful. But when they had finished, a barrage of comments came their way.

"James, to actually think to have wand making classes brought to Hogwarts was bloody brilliant of you," said Ainsley in an awestruck voice.

"And for Lily to have a fund set up to help those Hogwarts students who don't have it very good, I'm really proud of her thoughtfulness," said Devon in a meaningful voice.

"That's Lily," said Hugo radiantly, "Always thinking of people and always wanting to help people."

This went on for about 10 minutes with Hugo, Devon, Albus, Fred, Rose, Pamela, Rachel, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha all paying James and Lily various compliments and expressing their pride them. Then it was time to put Lily's plan into action.

A large donation collection bucket that displayed a vivid Arizona Cardinals red color with black lettering reading was now put in front of the Great Hall.

"I would like to make a donation," said Lily brightly as the donation collection bucket was placed," I am going to donate 20% of my prize money to Worthy Wands."

Lily walked up to the donation collection bucket and placed the 200 galleons in the bucket. This surprised precisely 0 people in the Great Hall. Lily had developed a reputation at Hogwarts as someone who was gentle, kind, classy, caring, thoughtful, forgiving, empathic, helpful, and unselfish and she absolutely deserved this reputation.

Several students followed suit. James matched his sister's donation and dropped 200 galleons of his prize money into the bucket.

Surprising many people who didn't know her well but not her friends, Samantha followed James's and Lily's 20% lead and placed 100 galleons of her prize money into the bucket. Those people who didn't know Samantha well were surprised because to them Samantha was a boastful and unloving girl. Her pride, cockiness, and ability to be impressed with herself were well known at Hogwarts. It was also very well known that Samantha neither valued nor had capacity for love or affection. Many students had heard her talks discouraging people from becoming attached to other people so as to avoid being setup for grief or sadness. But James, Fred, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all knew the other side of Samantha Saver. Stephanie remembered how Samantha had empathized with her when Stephanie's original Beater had ended in heartbreak. Lily remembered the thoughtfulness Samantha had put into her Christmas gift to Lily, a gift that had helped out Lily quite a lot. Samantha may be cocky and she be unloving, but she did have capacity for thought and compassion. Her friends knew this side of Samantha and were unsurprised to see her make a significant donation.

Megan similarly followed the 20% pattern and donated 20 galleons of her prize money. After this some students made smaller donations ranging from 1 to 10 galleons. There were some people who were thinking of giving more but didn't want to commit right away. Family and friends of the prize winners were amongst those who had taken an approach of waiting to contribute so as to give more thought to how much they wished to donate. The staff had anticipated this and this was why donations would be open for several months.

Later on, as they were all leaving the Great Hall for their common rooms, James cracked up by yelling, "In other news, Jimmy is no longer cracking corn and I do care!"

This lighthearted humor caused a lot of laughter and giggling to be present on the walk to the common room.

Once they were back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Lily requested James to follow her up to her room. He did so.

"James," said Lily radiantly, "I can't tell you how proud I am you, baby bro, to introduce the idea of having wand making classes at Hogwarts is a stroke of genius that is certainly worthy of your gold medal. I'm =ly proud of you for following my lead and making a donation to the Worthy Wands fund. And I also proud of you for the role you played in getting Samantha into the Hogwarts Writing Competition. Your help turned a non enterer into a silver medalist. I'm really proud of you for that."

"Lily," said James with = radiance, "I'm just as proud of you. Your idea of setting up a fund to allow Hogwarts students who are not well off to get new wands that have chosen them will benefit both many individual students as well as Hogwarts and the Wizarding World as a whole for years to come. You're a special person but I've rarely been prouder of you than I am tonight, big sis."

"To be a gold medalist is an awesome feeling," said Lily jovially, "But being able to share it with you makes it so much more special."

"The feeling is mutual, "said James pleasantly, "Being a gold medalist is very satisfying in and of itself. That I shared this win with you made it that much more wonderful. This is 1 of the most special days of my life."

"And mine," added Lily.

With their hearts glowing inside, James and Lily messed up each other's hair. Before leaving Lily's room for his, James gave Lily a hug.

"I love you, big sis," said James warmly.

"I love you too, baby bro,' said Lily warmly as she returned the hug.

When James left, Lily spent some hours awake replaying the whole night in her mind. James was doing the same thing in his room.

Yes, this had been a very special, satisfying, and meaningful night for the Potters.


	22. Lily's Gaffe Isn't Costly

Sunday, April 12, 2020 was Easter Sunday and while sleeping in was still the name of the game in the morning (as it always was on a Hogwarts Sunday), at 11 a.m. Hogwarts time, a massive Easter Egg Hunt was held on the sweeping lawns of Hogwarts. No, real eggs were not involved. Instead, plastic, openable, eggs in a mix of house colors and Easter pastel colors were used. These plastic eggs had candy hidden inside. The Hogwarts Easter Egg Hunt was setup by year so that, depending on many how many students were in each year, a certain number of eggs would be hidden in their portion of the field. For very large years, those years would be split by house and get multiple sections of the lawn. Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily were told by Professor Longbottom that 30 eggs had been hidden in their part of the lawn and that a beeping would occur when they all been captured. 1/2 of the eggs were in Easter pastel shades of pink, light blue, orange, and yellow. The other 1/2 were a vivid Gryffindor scarlet.

When Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily heard the beeping, Hugo and Lily, who were very good at search games, had each amassed 10 eggs. Devon and Ainsley, whose search game skills were average, each had 5. But poor Samantha and Stephanie, both of whom sucked at search games, had collected 0 each.

A dejected Samantha started to walk away.

"Samantha, where are you going?" asked Lily.

"To our common room," said Samantha sadly, "Nothing against you guys, but it's too much of a bummer for me to watch others eat the candy when I wasn't able to get any myself."

"Samantha, " said Lily fiercely, "It's okay, I'll let you have 1/2 of mine. And no sooner had the words left Lily's mouth when she dropped 5 eggs into Samantha's hands.

"Thanks a lot, Lily," said Samantha weakly, "You're a great friend as always."

Hugo followed Lily's lead and gave 1/2 of his eggs to Stephanie. There was no expectation from the staff that the more successful students would share their eggs with the less successful 1s. That wasn't how Easter Egg hunts worked and at any rate they would have all taken the view that each student got what he or she earned and if some got shut out, well, that's the way it goes sometimes. In fact this was the way it played out in most groups. There were in fact a handful of students who would get no eggs and no candy that day. But Hugo and Lily were not about to leave 2 of their best friends shut out when they had excess. In fact, the thought of Stephanie and Samantha having nothing while they had excess made both Hugo and Lily feel very uncomfortable.

When they actually opened the eggs they found that apart from the typical Easter staple of Jelly Beans, most of the candy was chocolate.

Lily, who enjoyed cream filled products, loved the Cadbury Cream Egg she'd found in a yellow egg. For the others, the hollow Lindt's chocolate bunnies were the biggest hits. There was nothing really magical about the Easter Egg Hunt but a was nice thing for students to enjoy and an Easter dinner centered around thick carved ham was served in the Great Hall later that night.

On Saturday, April 18th, 2020, Lily awoke feeling confident in Gryffindor's chances to beat Hufflepuff and win the Quidditch Cup. Wesley had worked on teamwork with Ainsley, Rachel, and Roxanne ever since their poor showing against Ravenclaw. Lily felt confident the Chasers would play better with the new strategies Wesley had put in and she knew Samantha would shut down the Hufflepuff Chasers. And, well, Lily herself had always been a good flier and a good Quidditch Player and she had caught the snitch in her 1st 2 matches. She had no reason not believe in herself as well.

The team was feeling confident enough that nerves were minimal and although the team members stuck to just toast, at least they were able to get something in their systems without being too queasy.

After breakfast the team walked into the locker room. Wesley, having been happy with his teams' recent practices, eschewed any advice to his team and just told them, "Just win baby!" before they headed onto the pitch.

Ainsley would face off in the center circle against Hufflepuff Chaser Tiffany Thompson, a short green eyed brunette haired 2nd year. (The other Hufflepuff Chasers were black 4th year named Denise Derozan and a tall blue eyed blonde haired 7th year named Marissa Marshall. The Hufflepuff Keeper was a tall brown eyed brown haired 4th year named Sierra Stop.)

Ainsley seized the quaffle almost at once.

"Cochlain gains control of the quaffle, " announced James on the commentary, "Cochlain keeping the Quaffle, Cochlain zigs zags between Marshall and Derozan. Cochlain glides towards the south hoops, Cochlain shoots for the right hand hoop, Stop has drifited too far left. AINSLEY COCHLAIN SCORES! GRYFFINDOR STRIKES 1ST YES!"

"Gryffindor leading 10-0, Thompson with the quaffle, and Weasley of Gryffindor approaches Thompson from behind, Weasley snatches the quaffle away from Thompson. Weasley with a brilliant downpitch pass to Robins. Robins with an easy 3 footer. RACHEL ROBINS SCORES, GRYFFINDOR LEADS 20-0!"

"Derozan with the quaffle, Derozan speeding down the pitch, Derozan shoots, 'SAVED BY SAVER!"

"Of course," said Samantha boastfully, waving her fingers, "Samantha Saver never lets the quaffle in!"

"Cochlain takes possession of the quaffle. The Quaffle starts to slip through Cochlain's fingers but she holds on. Cochlain tosses a few feet ahead to Robins, Rachel duck that's a bludger, ah, Baylac saves the day and knocks the bludger away from Robins. Robins streaks ahead. Robins with a backhanded pass to the trailing Weasley, Weasley aims for the center hoop, Stop deflects it short. The rebound caroms out to Weasley. Weasley quickly shoots again this time aiming higher for the middle hoop. ROXANNE WEASLEY SCORES! 30-0 GRYFFINDOR!"

'Thompson takes possession of the quaffle. Thompson fakes a pass to Marshall. The Gryffindor Chasers converge on Marshall. Thompson with open pitch ahead of her. Saver has drifted too far to the Right. Thompson closes in. Thompson shoots for the left hand hoop. WHAT A RECOVERY! SAVER RECOVERED IN TIME TO STOP THE QUAFFLE!"

"I'm the best damn Keeper on this planet period," said Samantha loudly.

"Cochlain takes control of the quaffle. Bludger speeding towards Saver. Baylac swats.. NO! Baylac missed. The Bludger hits Saver square in the face. Saver is bleeding profusely. Her nose may have been broken. Weasley finally successfully knocks the bludger away from Saver."

But despite being battered, bloodied, and in immense pain, Samantha's performance didn't miss a beat all match. Samantha continued to make saver after save after save, many of in spectacular fashion. Meanwhile, Ainsley, Rachel, and Roxanne, had a great rhythm going and eventually each of them scored 7 goals so that Gryffindor was leading 210-0.

Lily then did something that had never been seen in a Hogwarts Quidditch match before. Lily could now clearly see that the snitch was hovering around the center circle. Lily put on her afterburners and sped towards the center circle. But instead of attempting to catch in her hands in the typical way, she put out only her left pinkie towards the snitch. Lily enclosed her left pinkie but unfortunately the snitch slipped away. It was impossible to control a snitch with only a pinkie.

James commentary made it clear how disappointed he was.

"DAMN!," lamented James, "That pesky snitch got away. Potter had her finger around the thing and DAMN IT GOT AWAY!"

Lily was inwardly cursing herself. Why did she try a fancy move? With her Seeking skills she surely would have caught the snitch if she had attempted a routine capture.

"Damn you, Lily," thought Lily to herself, "Why did you try to be cute, being good was more important!"

The snitch now darted toward the sideline on the east side of the pitch. Sadly for Lily, the Hufflepuff Seeker, Mellissa Jones, the daughter of Megan Jones who was herself the niece of Gwenog Jones, happened to hovering around the east sideline and saw the snitch approach her. Mellissa took the more routine approach and captured the snitch."

"Jones catches the snitch," said James dispiritedly.

But James quickly moved on and said in a much more upbeat voice, "But the good news is that Gryffindor defeats Hufflepuff 210-150. And with a record of 3-0 and having defeated each of the other houses without a loss, "GRYFFINDOR WINS THE QUIDDITCH CUP!"

'YES!" screamed Samantha in pure jubilation, "Gryffindor has the Quidditch Cup and I was the MVP of this season! YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT!"

Clearly being injured and in pain was doing nothing to subdue Samantha's pleasure with herself or excitement at winning the Quidditch Cup.

Ainsley, Roxanne, and Rachel all exchanged hi 5s.

"That was the best damn game we Chasers played all year!" said Ainsley with a tent of pride in her voice, though nothing too boastful.

Rachel and Roxanne both gave quiet nods and "yeps" Both were both too humble and too quiet to do or say much more than that.

Lily's primary emotion was relief; relief that her gaffe hadn't cost her team the Quidditch Cup.

Professor McGonagall was now presenting the Quidditch Cup to Wesley, the 1st non playing captain to hoist the Quidditch Cup since Brett Brooks of Ravenclaw in 1987.

The Quidditch Cup was then passed around amongst the team, Wesley handed it off to Fred, who handed it off to Rachel, who handed off to Roxanne, who handed it off to Ainsley, who handed it off to Stephanie, who handed it off to Samantha, who finally handed it off to Lily, each holding it above his or her head before passing it on.

Lily finally handed it back to Professor McGonagall, who handed it Professor Longbottom and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Longbottom, the Quidditch Cup will now reside in your office.

"That's wonderful, "said Professor Longbottom happily, "I'm so proud of our team."

"I'd like to have a celebration with team members only," requested Wesley, "We'll do it in the locker room."

"Fred, Rachel, Roxanne, Ainsley, Stephanie. and Samantha can go celebrate," said Lily tonelessly, "I don't deserve to partake in a celebration."

"Lily, please join," said Ainsley fiercely, "You're just as much a part of this team as the rest of us."

"And we want you to celebrate with us," added Fred clearly.

"You're our friend and our teammate, Lily, we really do want you to come enjoy this triumph with us." said Stephanie warmly.

"B-but." said Lily, "I was the only 1 who didn't get the job done today, you all were brilliant. I don't deserve to celebrate with you. I didn't earn it."

"Yes you do and yes you did," came a polite but clear voice that belonged to James.

"Remember," said James matter of factly," That the Quidditch Cup is comprised of a season. Well, Lily, remember, the Chasers really struggled against Ravenclaw and it was only 10-0 when you caught the snitch in that match. Keeping everything else constant, if you don't get the snitch in that match, Gryffindor loses to Ravenclaw 150-10. Ultimately, this would have led to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff all going 2-1. Since none of the 3 teams would have beaten both of the other 2, the next tiebreaker is how many times during the season each team's Seeker got the snitch. Had you not gotten the snitch vs Ravenclaw the 3 way tie between Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw would have been broken by the fact that Mellissa was the only Seeker to catch the snitch 3 times this year and Hufflepuff would have won the Quidditch Cup. Thus, your capture of the snitch in the Ravenclaw match that allowed Gryffindor to beat Ravenclaw on a day when their Chasers played like kindergarteners and ultimately allowed Gryffindor to go 3-0 was a key moment in allowing Gryffindor to claim the Quidditch Cup."

Lily took this in and after about 20 seconds she actually gave James a small smile though she still said nothing.

"Lily," continued James, "If you don't want to join the team's celebration for yourself then do it for your teammates. They all want you there and they'll be sad and disappointed if you skip out."

James had done it, he had said exactly what Lily needed to hear to convince her to join the celebration with her teammates and she walked back to them.

"We win as a team and lose as a team," Fred told Lily clearly, "When we win we all share the triumph."

"That's what team sports are all about," added Ainsley, "You picked us up picked us up against Ravenclaw, today was our turn to pick you up."

"And," said Stephanie, "Win or lose, good or bad, a true team sticks together."

Lily was feeling better and better every nanosecond. Granted it was easier for her teammates to stick by her when her stupidity hadn't actually cost them any. But she could tell how sincere they all were and that meant a lot to her.

"Thanks, everyone," said Lily gratefully, who was getting some energy back, "We're Hogwarts Quidditch Champions so let's go celebrate!"

"That's the spirit, Lily!" said Samantha with a smile.

Fred, Lily, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, Roxanne, and Rachel followed Wesley back to the locker room.

The nanosecond the team had all gathered in the locker room, Wesley waved his wand at the ceiling. A nanosecond later, The Gryffindor Quidditch Team found itself showered in red and gold confetti. Everyone felt the confetti falling against his or her hair and arms as it came down. It was a nice feeling brushing the victory confetti out of 1s hair. At 1st they were all brushing the confetti from themselves. And then they started throwing it on each other and messing up each other's hair. This went on for 5 minutes.

And then the real frivolity began. Wesley blew up 1000 red balloons with the Gryffindor lion on them. At 1st they just threw the balloons at each other, Then, Fred, Lily, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, Roxanne, Rachel, and Wesley all had a lot of mindless fun finding different ways of popping the balloons.

Fred pulled a few darts out his right pocket and threw them at the balloons. Roxanne and Rachel were biting the balloons, Samantha and Stephanie were stomping on the balloons, Wesley was using Reducto to pop the balloons, and Ainsley and Lily were poking the balloons with their wands. Attre 15 minutes of this frivolity and noise, the locker room was a mess with all the popped balloons.

"We Gryffindors never need an excuse to make noise and mess," said Samantha with a smirk.

Then they all started chanting "Go Go Gryffindor!" at the top of their lungs and Wesley finished off their celebration by singing We are the Champions.

By the time they were all back in the common room, Lily was on cloud 9, she could now see her performance in the Ravenclaw match had saved the season for Gryffindor and she now believed she did deserve to be part of it all.

While the celebration in the locker room had been for team members only, the whole house held a noisy and messy party in the common room and Hugo, Devon, and James got to join in this 1. Even those not into Quidditch much such as Rose Weasley and Pamela Patil were thrilled that Gryffindor had won. Every single house member took part in the common room party. This party involved more of the same for the team members with confetti, balloons, singing, rowdiness, and noisemaking. Food was also consumed. By the time the day was over the Gryffindor common room was a mess.

Lily lay in her bed that night feeling happy and content. Gryffindor had triumphed. She was a Quidditch Cup Champion.


	23. Estrangement of Lily and Petunia Evans

On Sunday, April 26th, 2020, at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time, James, Albus, Devon and Lily headed to the Room of Requirement to begin reading their books on the history of the relationship between the Potters and the Dursleys.

The 4 of them set out for the 7th floor and walked past the wall 3 times all thinking to themselves, "We need a place to read without being disturbed."

The door to the Room of Requirement appeared. Lily pulled the handle and held the door for James, Albus, and Devon before entering the Room of Requirement herself. As Lily shut the door behind her, they heard that district locking sound that meant that they were guaranteed not to be distributed.

A long white sofa had appeared in the middle of the Room of requirement and James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all sat down on it and made themselves comfortable.

All 4 of them opened their books to chapter 1. This chapter was titled The estrangement of Lily and Petunia Evans.

The text read: Petunia and Lily Evans were sisters born to Thomas and Rebecca Evans. The girls got on fairly well as young children with Lily often calling her sister by the affectionate nickname of Tuney. On Lily's 11th birthday, the bond between the Evans sisters began to break. Lily, who had shown occasional signs of being a witch since she was 5 despite coming from a muggle family, received her Hogwarts letter on her 11th birthday as is typical for Hogwarts invitees. Petunia was very jealous of Lily's magical ability and craved to be magical herself. In fact, Petunia so wanted to be magical that she personally wrote to the headmaster of the time, Professor Dumbledore, and practically begged him to allow her to come to Hogwarts. Though Dumbledore was kindly when he wrote back to Petunia explaining that witches were born and not made, this absolute conformation that she could never be a witch greatly intensified Petunia's jealousy of Lily. Meanwhile, Thomas and Rebecca got very excited when they learned that Lily had been accepted to Hogwarts. Thomas and Rebecca had both expressed great pride in Lily when she got her Hogwarts letter and were thrilled when they saw her off at King's Cross. When Lily would show off her magic when she came home for summers, Thomas and Rebecca became more and more proud of her while Petunia's jealousy eventually turned to resentment and bitterness. Lily was broken hearted over the estrangement with Petunia and to her dying day the loss of a quality relationship with "Tuney" was her greatest lament. The worst sting of all had been when Petunia had not come to Lily's wedding. The very last attempt at correspondence Lily had with Petunia had been to send Petunia a birth announcement telling of Harry's birth but Petunia had thrown this away after a glance of contempt, by this time having developed a furious hatred of magic. The last "correspondence" Petunia made with Lily had been to send Lily an extremely ugly vase as a Christmas present the Christmas before Lily's tragic death, a gift Lily knew was meant to express disdain for her. Ultimately, and sadly, Petunia's jealousy ruined what had been a good relationship between sisters. While it is not uncommon for muggle children to be jealous of their magical siblings, these feelings rarely lead to falling outs. The estrangement of Lily and Petunia Evans is a sad chapter in the history of Potter-Dursley relations.

After completing the 1st chapter, James, Albus, Lily and Devon all closed their books.

James, Albus, Lily and Devon all looked at each other. Devon had silent tears coming down cheeks. All 4 of them knew these readings were not going to be easy. This was precisely why they had been postponed twice.

"Devon, are you okay?" asked Lily gently.

"It's h-hard," said Devon emotionally, "To learn about the reasons for Petunia's estrangement from her sister Lily. Although I didn't know that the Potters and the Dursleys are related until I learned so from the Room of Requirement last September, I had always known that Dudley and Petunia had not treated Harry very well when he had lived with them. However, in the case of Petunia, I had always believed that the reason that Petunia was not fond of Harry and had not treated him well was either that she resented having someone who was not family live in her house or that she treated Harry poorly to stay in the good graces of her husband and protect her marriage as Vernon clearly hated Harry."

"The idea that your Grandma Petunia became estranged from her own sister because she was jealous of her sister is really hard for you to take in, isn't it, Devon?" asked James sympathetically.

"That's exactly it," acknowledged Devon, looking down at his feet, "The idea of a jealous Petunia who would allow this jealousy to ruin her relationship with her own sister isn't at all consistent with the Petunia I grew up knowing as Grandma Petunia."

Lily patted Devon on the back in a comforting way and Devon explained further.

"When I was growing up," said Devon matter of factly, "Grandma Petunia was the 1 who planned all my birthday parties and was always the 1 to bake my birthday cakes, Grandma Petunia would often come over to my house and read me stories at bedtime and sing me lullabies when I was in preschool and kindergarten. Up until I started at Hogwarts, if I was ever home sick in bed, Grandma Petunia would always come over and stay by my bedside, even at great inconvenience to herself. Most of all, Grandma Petunia was the person who loved me most. I got more hugs and kisses from Grandma Petunia than from anyone else growing up and Grandma Petunia told me she loved me much more often than I heard it from anyone else. She always seemed so genuine too. And to learn that Petunia ruined her own relationship with her own sister because of jealousy issues is really hard to fathom. And it's much harder to take in. "

After this explanation, Devon started sobbing uncontrollably and fell to the floor.

James, Albus, and Lily gave Devon his space and left him alone to let him cry for 10 minutes. They knew that Devon needed to be able to release this emotion before they could continue.

Finally, Devon picked himself up off the floor and faced James, Albus, and Lily. James, Albus, and Lily each took a turn giving Devon a big hug. This made Devon feel better and Lily placed her arm around Devon's back.

"Devon," said Lily in a gentle and supportive voice, "I know this is difficult. 1 of the most difficult things that a person will have to face in his or her life is discovering that someone who he or she loved and/or looked up to is far more flawed than they would have ever guessed and it can be very hard to face the reality that someone you loved so dearly is more flawed than you ever thought before. Reality can really slap people in the face sometimes."

Devon's black eyes looked into Lily's brown eyes. He could tell that Lily understood how he was feeling.

"Devon," said Lily seriously, "Look, being flawed does not make the love your Grandma Petunia had for you any less real or any less genuine. A person can be a very complex and many layered thing. I suppose learning this about your Grandma Petunia after she has died probably makes it that much harder."

"There's a certain degree of truth to that but learning about Grandma Petunia's jealous formative years was going to very hard on me in any case. It's a very unpleasant bombshell I've just had dropped on me." answered Devon heavily.

"Devon, I know it's a very emotional thing that you've just had to take in," said James supportively, "But Petunia does not bare all the blame for her estrangement with Lily. Some of the blame lies with our great grandparents. Thomas and Rebecca exaggerated the problem by favoring Lily over Petunia. Seeing as Petunia was already naturally jealous of Lily's magical abilities, Thomas and Rebecca made Petunia feel inadequate with the way they favored Lily and that further magnified Petunia's jealousy."

"James is right about that," agreed Albus, "Thomas and Rebecca could have and should have shown more love for Petunia. I do think it a good thing that they were proud of Lily and expressed this to her. By the same token, they really should have told Petunia that she was their daughter too and that they loved her just as much."

"Furthermore," added James, "They should have encouraged Petunia to try to find her own special talent, her own niche that she could be proud of. For Lily it was magic. Petunia might have been able to find a talent or niche of her own that was unique to her, thereby eliminating or at least reducing her jealousy of Lily's magical ability, if Thomas and Rebecca would have done more to encourage her and been more supportive of her as opposed to favoring Lily."

"That's true," said Devon slowly, "Thomas and Rebecca didn't help Petunia's relationship with or attitude towards her with the favoritism they showed Lily. I suppose Petunia could have been the bigger person and been happy for and proud of Lily. But if we try to see things at that time from Petunia's POV, her feelings do become more understandable."

"She was human, just like all people," said James matter of factly.

"Lily Evans was the only person in that household not at fault for her estrangement from Petunia." said Devon weakly.

"Actually," said Lily, getting the words out with difficulty, "Even Lily bares a part of the responsibility for the Lily-Petunia estrangement."

"How?" asked Devon.

"1st of all," said Lily clearly, "Lily soaked up Thomas's and Rebecca's favoritism of her. No, she does not seem to have asked for it, but she does seem to have gloried in it and embraced it. Lily could have talked to Thomas and Rebecca about the favoritism they were showed her and how Petunia was getting shunned. She could have explained that she appreciated how proud they were of her but that Petunia needed love and support too. She also had bouts of showing off her magic, even in front pf Petunia. Lily knew that Petunia was jealous of her magic. She could have shelved the displays of magic in front of Petunia. She also could have talked to Petunia and herself encouraged her to try to find a talent of her own. She could have told Petunia that she understood that Petunia was jealous of her magical ability but that Petunia could find her own niche. She should have encouraged Petunia to find such a niche. And she should have helped Petunia see her own worthiness."

"But," said Devon in a confused voice, "Lily was away at Hogwarts for most of the year during their middle school/high school years. How was she supposed to have done that?"

"That's just the thing though," said Lily, "When Lily did come home for summer, she really should at the very least have held off on the showing off of her magic. By lapping up Thomas's and Rebecca's attention towards her, Lily only further fueled Petunia's jealousy. Instead of showing off her magic and lapping up Thomas's and Rebecca's attention, Lily should have sat down with Petunia and acknowledged that she understood that Petunia was jealous of her magic but also tried to show her that she with was worthy in her own way. Lily should have encouraged Petunia to try to find her own niche, her own talent she could have called her own. Lily also should have talked to Thomas and Rebecca and encouraged them to show just as much love for Petunia as they did for her."

"It is true that you can understand how Petunia might have felt if you look at it from her POV. But it's sad that Petunia allowed her jealousy to fester into resentment and bitterness that her relationship with her sister was ruined." said James quietly.

"Lily might be right, maybe if Lily would have shown more support for Petunia and encouraged Thomas and Rebecca to do the same maybe this jealousy wouldn't have festered into resentment and bitterness. But Petunia does still bear the brunt of the blame. She should have been a bigger person than she was." said Albus uncomfortably

"That's the thing that's so difficult for me to come to terms with," said Devon sadly, "The loving Grandma Petunia I knew never seemed the type who would let jealousy over someone having abilities she didn't fester into resentment and bitterness. And to learn that Petunia became so resentful and bitter over her jealousy of her sister that the sisters fell out is a hard thing to wrap my head around."

"Sometimes part of growing up is having to learn that there is or was more than meets the eye to people who we love," said Lily gently, "And the more 1 loves or looks up to a person, that more heartbreaking these revelations are. But remember that Lily and Petunia were 11 when they fell out. Had they been older and more mature when Lily went off to Hogwarts..."

"I never fooled myself that Petunia was perfect," said Devon honestly, "But I would have thought based on my experiences with Petunia that she would have had enough love for her own sister to be able to stay on good terms with her even if some jealousy did exist."

"Being flawed is part of being human," said Albus, "We've all got both light and dark inside us. I know it has given you a heavy heart to learn about more unsavory side of your Grandma Petunia. But my advice to you is to keep the memories of the good times you had with Grandma Petunia close to you. Remember her light side. And remember that what we've talked about how it isn't all on Petunia. Thomas, Rebecca, and Lily also share some of the responsibility for the estrangement of Lily and Petunia Evans."

"Devon?" asked Lily quietly, "How did Petunia react when she learned you are a wizard?"

"Much the same way as Dudley," said Devon matter of factly, "Grandpa Vernon disowned me when I started showing signs of magic. He said that I was a "freak" and that I was a disgrace to the family name. He also disowned Petunia and Dudley when they made it clear they were going to stand by me no matter what. Just as Dudley said I would always be his son and that he would always love me no matter what, so too Petunia said I would always be her grandson and the she would always love me no matter what. In fact, like Dudley, Petunia was actually very proud of me when I got my Hogwarts letter"

"That shows that Petunia changed and matured, "said Lily firmly. "11 year old Petunia was jealous of Lily's magical talents and it led to an estrangement with Lily. But an older Petunia was proud of having a grandson who abilities she hadn't had. People can change over time. Don't let these revelations tarnish your memory of your loving grandmother."

There was quiet for about 10 minutes after this before Devon spoke again.

"You're right, Lily," said Devon slowly, "People can become better people as they grow older. And I'm lucky to have had Grandma Petunia in my life. Even as devastating as her death was, at least she was a part of my life, you 3 never knew your paternal grandmother at all because Lily died when Harry was only 1 year old."

"But we can never forget," said Lily, pointing between herself, James, and Albus, "That it is because of Lily that we even exist at all. If it hadn't been for Lily's sacrifice, then Harry dies at 1 year old and James, Albus and I never exist because there is no Harry to father us without Lily's sacrifice. That's why Harry gave me her name."

"As unpleasant as this reading was, I'm glad we did it," said Devon wisely, "I feel as though we ought to know the truth no matter how heavy or unpleasant it may be. But I do also come back to the idea that the Potters and the Dursleys were never supposed to be enemies. Lily and Petunia being sisters made the Potters and the Dursleys related after they each married into the respective families."

"But the Potters and the Dursleys are no longer enemies, said Lily clearly, "Not only am I and James very tight knit with you, but I can honestly say that Dudley treated us very well when we at your house over New Year's.'

"He really dud," said James with a smile, "Learning about the past of the Potter-Dursley relationship is something we should do. But should also remember that that past doesn't dictate today."

Still, an aura of uncomfortableness was still in the room.

Suddenly, James found that he had to sneeze. At that nanosecond, James turned to Lily and sneezed in her face on purpose. This caused all 4 of them to burst into fits of laughter and the tension was broken.

Just before James, Albus, Devon, and Lily left the Room of Requirement, Devon turned to James, Albus, and Lily and said sincerely, "I'd like to thank all 3 of you for how supportive you all were of me today, not only with your respect and support, but even more so for your patience. I especially appreciate you giving me my space and letting me cry without interfering when I needed to. And your support means everything to me. It will be easier for me to cope with these revelations because of how supportive you 3 have been."

"We're in this together," said James, Albus, and Lily clearly.

Lily did feel that they should do these readings as she believed in knowing as much truth as possible. But she also knew it was better that they did it together. Devon had clearly needed the support today.

Later that night, Lily fell asleep thinking those exact words: We're in this together.


	24. The Naming of Albus Severus Potter

The 2nd reading session in the Room of Requirement on the history of the Potter and Dursley families for James, Albus, Devon, Lily took place on Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time. As she had done the week before, Lily held the door for James, Albus, and Devon and shut the door behind her. They all made sure that they heard that distinct locking sound before beginning. They quickly sat down on the long white sofa, got out their books on Potter and Dursley history, and opened them to chapter 2.

Chapter 2 was titled The Naming of Albus Severus Potter.

Naturally, Albus's eyes became very wide when they saw this chapter title.

"I think we're about to learn why Harry named me Albus Severus," said Albus excitedly.

"It looks," explained Lily, "Like this chapter is a transcript of Harry's thoughts as he was explaining his choice to chose your name to his friends, Albus"

"It begins" read Devon, "Harry Potter, having already had his 1st son, James Sirius Potter, about 2 years prior, came to a decision on a name for his 2nd son a few weeks before his 2nd son was born. Those closest to Harry did not agree with Harry's choice of a middle name for his 2nd son. The following is a transcript of Harry's thoughts as he informed those closest to him of this decision in the Leaky Cauldron. This transcript should show Harry's conviction in making this decision."

Sure enough, said transcript followed and James, Albus, Devon, and Lily read the following.

...

Today I am sitting in the Leaky Cauldron with those closest to me.

I am sitting at a table surrounded by my 2 BFF's, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, my wife Ginny Weasley, and 2 other dear friends of mine, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. The landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, Hannah Abbott, has also joined us as she is Neville's wife.

"I have a major announcement to make," I tell Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah.

"Oh what is it?" asks Hermione excitedly.

"Well, you all know that my 2nd son is due in a few weeks?"

"Yes," chorused Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah.

"I have chosen a name for him," I say clearly.

"Aw, what is it?" asks Luna dreamily.

"I have to decided to give my son the 1st name of Albus after Albus Dumbledore," I reveal.

Ron looks awestruck at this and Hermione's eyes look watery.

"Of course," says Ron in an amused voice, "Dumbledore would 1 day have a baby named after him."

"Dumbledore would be very touched, Harry," says Hermione quietly.

"Now for the bombshell," I say firmly, "I have chosen to give my son the middle name of Severus after Severus Snape."

"NO!"Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna and Hannah all shout together.

After a few seconds, Hermione asks me calmly why I would name my son after someone who I had hated so intensely.

"2 reasons." I say fiercely, "1st of all, Snape loved my mother and in spite of his distain for my father and I he was willing to endure terrible danger to protect me because of his love for my mother. The 2nd reason is that Snape was the bravest man I ever knew. Think how dangerous it was for him to turn spy against Voldemort during the 1st war. And how dangerous it was for him to be going back and forth between Death Eater meetings and Order meetings during the 2nd war. He ultimately did pay the ultimate price for the risks he took on our behalf."

"I can see your line of reasoning, Harry," says Hermione respectfully, "But naming your son after him is going too far."

"YOU WILL NOT NAME YOUR CHILD AFTER THAT GIT!" yells Ron.

"He was horrible to all Gryffindors," adds Neville, "Pick someone more respectable if you want to honor someone by naming your child for them."

"It's not happening," says Ginny in an outraged voice. "To name your child after someone so sadistic and horrible is a terrible idea."

"He was just as ghastly to Ravenclaws," pipes up Luna, "I think the wrackspurts have affected your thinking today, Harry. Your brain must be fuzzy if you truly want to name your son after a man as cruel as Severus Snape."

"He was quite mean to the Hufflepuffs as well," Hannah informs us, "You should pick a different name."

I had expected this. I knew that Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah would all disapprove of my decision.

And that's okay. I don't need any of their approval.

I know exactly why I am giving my son the middle name of Severus and what that means to me and that's what matters. This is my decision. Not any of theirs.

"This is my decision," I say clearly, firmly, and fiercely, "It is an extremely personal choice that I am making."

"SNAPE WAS A BULLY!" shouts Neville with great anger in his voice, "He was breathing down my neck in every Potions class! He wanted to poison my toad in 3rd year! And his bullying EXTENDED OUT OF CLASS! HIS DETENTIONS WERE FAR WORSE THAN HIS CLASSES!"

"And this was true across all years," says Ginny clearly "His treatment of Colin and I was torture."

Luna nods. "Snape was 1 of the meanest people Hogwarts ever knew. And he treated Ravenclaws with same unfairness he treated Gryffindors."

"Ditto for Hufflepuff," adds Hannah, "Snape was an absolute menace to Ernie, Susan, and myself. He never had any respect for any non Slytherin student."

"Wanting to honor him is 1 thing, " says Hermione, "But giving your son his name is too much."

Neville says in a loud voice, "There are plenty of better people who you could chose to name your son after."

"This is an excellent point," adds Hannah, "Honoring people by naming your children after them is a special thing that should be reserved for truly honorable people and not done for anti heroes."

"You guys have a right to very upset about the decision I am making." I say matter of factly, "I saw 1st hand in classes how horribly Snape bullied you, Neville, and he was almost as bad to you, Hermione. And he was pretty nasty to me as well. But to me naming my 2nd son after him is about honoring his love for my mother, a love that gave him the courage to turn against Lord Voldemort. And his bravery in the war is indisputable."

"But-" begins Hermione but I forestall her.

"This decision is final," I tell Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah in no uncertain terms, "I know why I'm doing this and the significance it holds for me. You don't have to like it, but this choice is my choice to make and my choice to make alone. In making such a personal decision, I have to stay true to myself and my own convictions even if those closest to me detest my ultimate choice on the matter. Sometimes a man has to stay true to himself even if it means going against the wishes of those closest to him. That's the position I am in now. My mind is made up. My 2nd son shall bear the name of Albus Severus Potter."

Silence follows this declaration.

I think it's starting to sink in on Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah that I really am going to do this, that I really am naming my son Albus Severus Potter.

Last Year, when I informed Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah at this same table that I was naming my 1st child James Sirius Potter, they all had very anticlimactic reactions to it. It was as though they'd all known all along that I would choose the name of James Sirius for my 1st child.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah have all been very curious about the name I would pick for my 2nd son.

They all, with the possible exception of Hermione, who had always judged Snape more fairly and open mindedly than the others to begin with, hate it. And even Hermione thinks it's going too far to name my son after Snape.

But it doesn't matter what they think.

There are times in a man's life when he has to be true to himself even if it means going against the wishes of those closest to him. This is 1 of those times.

I can't worry what Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah think about the decision I have just announced. None of them are my boss. Honestly, there were times at Hogwarts when I allowed Hermione to be too bossy with me when I should have stuck up for myself more.

As an adult making a very personal decision, I have to make this choice myself.

No, I am not a selfish person. I never have been and I never will be.

But some decisions are personal enough that they have to be made even if no consent from other people comes.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah, clearly realizing that my mind is made up and that none of them are going to change it, all nod their heads.

Severus Snape, the man who loved my mother from the time they were just children, the man who risked everything, the man who died the most horrifying and unglamorous death possible, the bravest man I ever knew, will now be honored through the middle name of my 2nd son.

I know precisely why I have made this choice and what meaning it holds for me.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah don't get a say in this and nor should any of them.

What it comes to this, I've got to make the choice that is true to myself as this is a very personal decision for me.

My decision. Not any of theirs.

...

Albus smiled as the reading concluded.

"I'm so proud," said Albus sincerely, "That Harry stuck to his guns when it came to naming me. He stayed true to himself by not sharing an intimately personal decision with anyone else, not even those closest to him. By keeping the decision to name me Albus Severus Potter to himself and not letting other people deter him from making that decision, Harry stayed true to himself and his own convictions and was a great father at the same time."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, "said Devon with a smile, "I'm pleased to say that I know for a fact that the only person who played any role in naming me was Dudley."

""Harry told all 3 of us at a young age," said James clearly, "That he was the only person that he allowed to have any say in our namings."

"He did tell us," said Lily matter of factly, indicating herself and James, "That we had been named after his parents and we also knew that James and Lily had died when Harry was only a year old and he also told us that Lily had sacrificed herself for him. He said he'd give us more details when we were older."

"He also told us," added James, "That I was given the middle name of Sirius after his late godfather, Sirius Black, and that Lily was given the middle name of Luna after his dear friend, Luna Lovegood, who we know. He also added that he'd give us more details when we were older."

"Harry told me at a young age that he named me Albus Severus Potter for a very specific reason," said Albus clearly, "But he told me I'd have to be old enough to understand before he'd tell me why. He did tell the day I started Hogwarts that I was named for 2 headmasters of Hogwarts and that 1 of them was the bravest man he ever knew."

"Surely in your time at Hogwarts you've learned about Albus Dumbledore?" Devon asked Albus. Devon had come across much information about Dumbledore in his readings on wizarding history.

"Absolutely," said Albus, "But I'm still mostly ignorant of Severus Snape."

"That'll change next week," said Lily matter of factly, "Because the title of chapter 3 is The Role of Severus Snape in the lives of Petunia and Lily Evans."

"That should be interesting," said Albus, "It sounds like we will be learning about this Severus Snape's love for Lily Evans and his bravery during wartime and that'll give us an understanding of and appreciation for why I bear the middle name of Severus."


	25. The Life and Role of Severus Snape

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily settled into a pattern of meeting in the Room of Requirement every Sunday at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time to read and discuss the book on the Potters and the Dursleys family histories. On schedule, they had their 3rd such meeting on Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time. As usual, Lily held the door for James, Albus, and Devon and shut the door behind her after entering herself. They all made absolutely sure to wait for the now familiar distinct locking sound before starting. The things they were learning about during these readings were private except to each other and they took no chances when it came to keeping it that way.

James, Albus, Lily and Devon sat down on the long white sofa and pulled open their books on Potter and Dursley history and turned to chapter 3.

Chapter 3 was titled The Role of Severus Snape in the lives of Petunia and Lily Evans. James, Albus, Devon, and Lily read:

...

Severus Snape grew up in a neighborhood nearby the 1 the Evans sisters had grown up in. Severus grew up in an unhappy household with an abusive father. Both Severus and his mother, Eileen Prince, were magical so he recognized early on that Lily Evans was a witch. Severus had been very interested in Lily for a long time but his 1st attempt at a meeting with her couldn't have gone any worse than it did. Lily, being muggleborn and unfamiliar with the Wizarding World, had taken offense when Severus had called her a witch. This 1st meeting was totally blown after Severus insulted Lily's sister and both sisters got up to leave. Still, Lily took pity on Severus when she learned of his horrible home life and became his friend. It had been Severus who had explained to Lily how the Hogwarts letter system worked. Prior to going to Hogwarts, Lily and Severus had seen Dumbledore's reply letter to Petunia. This enraged Petunia when she found out and she had accused magical people of being nosy. Once at Hogwarts, Lily and Severus stayed friends through most of their 1st 5 years. This friendship had an increasing amount of tension attached to it as time went on due to Severus's lust for Dark Magic and his choice of friends, who were also fond of Dark Magic. Severus had also called other muggleborn students mudbloods and although Severus avoided using the word with Lily, his use of it towards others like her made Lily feel increasingly uneasy about staying friends with Severus as did his growing love of the Dark Arts. Finally, after an incident in which Severus had let the word mudblood slip when referring to Lily, Lily ended the friendship. Severus made a couple of attempts at reconciliation but Lily took no interest in them and ended the friendship permanently. Lily, who was firmly against all Dark Magic, especially the Dark Arts, reached a point where she could not longer befriend someone who was in love with the Dark Arts. Sometimes, principal and values had to override friendship. After graduating from Hogwarts Lily had joined Dumbledore's anti Voldemort Organization, the Order of the Phoenix, while Severus had joined Voldemort's Death Eaters, a move that Lily had foreseen and was largely responsible for Lily having no wish to make up with Severus. However, while working for Voldemort, Severus overheard part of a prophecy and relayed it to Voldemort. Unfortunately, Voldemort interpreted the prophecy in such a way that he believed Harry Potter to be his greatest threat. Voldemort intended to hunt down and kill the Potters to eliminate the threat. This meant Lily was in danger and it was at this point that Severus abandoned Voldemort. Severus turned spy for the Order of the Phoenix against Lord Voldemort at great personal risk to himself. Sadly, the Potters, who had escaped Voldemort's clutches 3 times, were betrayed by their secret keeper, Peter Pettigrew, and James and Lily were murdered by Voldemort. Voldemort then failed to kill Harry Potter and lost his powers that night. Severus continued to work for Dumbledore as Potions Master of Hogwarts. An interesting juxtaposition of Severus was that he always hated Harry Potter because he was James Potter's son yet was willing to help Dumbledore protect Harry because he was Lily's son. As Dumbledore had known all along was inevitable, Lord Voldemort returned at the end of Harry Potter's 4th year at Hogwarts. Severus once again took up the role of spy and kept Dumbledore and the Order informed about Voldemort and his plans and thoughts. At the end of Harry Potter's 6th year at Hogwarts, Severus Snape had been forced to kill Albus Dumbledore on Dumbledore's orders. About a year later Voldemort had ordered his snake Nagani to kill Snape because Voldemort had incorrectly believed Severus to be the master of the Elder Wand and that killing Severus would make him its master. Just before he died, Severus provided Harry with memories that gave Harry key information that helped Harry defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all. A few nanoseconds before his death, Severus asked Harry to look at him so he could see Lily's eyes 1 last time. Harry, in spite of being the target of bullying and dislike at Severus's hands in his Hogwarts years, became aware of Severus's love for his mother and his bravery in the wars and gave his 2nd son the middle name of Severus in his honor.

...

"I must say," said Devon bluntly, "That even if she was my grandma, I can feel NO sympathy whatsoever for Petunia over the issue of Severus's and Lily's nosing into her business. I can certainly understand her being unhappy that Severus and Lily saw what she considered to be a private letter of hers. But you know what? As nosy and gossip loving as Petunia was herself, I cannot sympathize with her in this situation."

"Devon?" asked James, "I remember you telling us a few weeks ago even as you struggled to absorb the revelation that your grandma Petunia had a much more flawed life than you would have ever guessed, you also knew that Petunia wasn't perfect. Was that a reference to her nosy and gossiping nature?"

"Partially," said Devon matter of factly, "Even at a young age I would notice that she had a tendency to crane her neck over fences to spy on her neighbors and she never met a tabloid or piece of gossip she didn't like. According to Hogwarts a History, a girl in the same year as Harry who was named Lavender Brown and died in the Battle of Hogwarts is the all time gossip queen in Hogwarts history. But if Petunia Evans had been a witch, she would have been Hogwarts all time gossip queen."

"A liking for gossip is a common flaw in girls," said Lily with disgust. "That's why I'm not close with cousin Rose, I can't stand her love of gossip."

"Even with Rose as my closest cousin and 1 of my best friends, I'll readily admit that Rose's fondness for gossip is a trait I dislike about her," said Albus honestly .

"Anyway," asked Lily, "Devon, do you believe that Lily and Severus seeing Dumbledore's letter to Petunia played a significant role in the estrangement of Lily and Petunia Evans?'

"Only in the sense that it may have served as a catalyst to speed up the process of the estrangement of Lily and Petunia Evans. From what we read about Petunia's jealousy in chapter 1, I believe the estrangement was inevitable." said Devon tonelessly.

"Speaking of estrangements, " said James crisply, "I think Lily made a mistake in ending her friendship with Severus. Do not misunderstand. Severus was out of line when he called Lily mudblood. There are 3 offensive words that no person should EVER call another person or refer to another person as at any time under any circumstances. These 3 words are fat, ugly, and mudblood. That being as it is, Lily should have felt very hurt to have been called mudblood by someone she thought a friend. I could even have understood if Lily had acknowledged her hurt feelings to Severus and requested that he stay away from her for a specified period of time. But to end a friendship entirely..."

"But it doesn't seem like an isolated incident," said Albus, "Aparently, Severus had already been regularly calling other muggleborns mudbloods. Besides, it sounds like that was merely the straw that broke the camel's back. But as I'm a believer in forgiveness, I do wish Lily would have been more open to reconciling with Severus."

"I can't fault Lily here," said Lily clearly, "The fact is, before Lily ended her friendship with Severus, Severus had shown an interest even in 1st year in the Dark Arts. As he grew older, his interest in the Dark Arts only intensified. Remember that there had been tension between them over Severus's choice of friends and interest in the Dark Arts. The incident in which Severus called Lily mudblood was indeed merely the straw that broke the camel's back. I got the sense when we were reading that the friendship between Lily abd Severus had been deteriorating or at very least teetering for awhile before that incident. Severus's interest in Dark Magic had been steadily growing whereas Lily was clearly principled against the use of Dark Magic from the start. As I see it, Lily stayed friends with Severus as long as she could but reached a point where it would have been too against her own ideals to continue to befriend a kid with a lust for Dark Magic and the Dark Arts."

James nodded.

"You're right, Lily, I guess, ultimately, Lily had to choose between her friend and her principals and she chose her principals," acknowledged James.

"I can't fault Lily for having no interest in reconciliation when it was clear that Severus was not about to give up his interest in Dark Magic," said Lily firmly.

Albus nodded in understanding.

"Albus, how do you feel about bearing the middle name of Severus now that you know that Severus Snape played in a major role in your grandma Lily's death through the relaying of that prophecy to Lord Voldemort?" asked Devon.

"Still very proud," said Albus fiercely, "Because I have no doubt about how truly remorseful Severus ultimately was about Lily's death."

"It speaks for itself," said Lily briskly, "That Severus would turn spy against Voldemort at great personal risk. His love for Lily helped bring his bravery out of him when he realized she was in danger from Voldemort."

"And it would have taken a man of immense bravery to have spied on Voldemort," said James matter of factly.

"Then there's Snape's role in the 2nd war," said Albus clearly, "From the night Voldemort returned until the time of his death, Severus Snape was running between Order meetings and Death Eater meetings with Voldemort. And he turned out to die the most horrific death you could imagine."

"I don't know what to think," admitted Devon, "On 1 hand, Severus Snape's bravery in both wars is indisputable and I do believe in the sincerity of his remorse over Lily's death. But he was still bitter and bullying. I mean he constantly bullied Harry and his friends at Hogwarts because he couldn't let go of his grudges towards Sirius Black and especially James Potter. He hated Harry for being James Potter's son."

"Severus Snape was a complex man," said James bluntly, "Varying opinions may all have merit when it comes to Severus Snape."

"I will say this," said Albus firmly, "Regardless of whether he made the right decision or the wrong decision, I respect the hell out of Harry for not only his conviction in naming me Albus Severus Potter but also for his conviction in keeping it his and only his decision. I'm so glad that Harry understood that Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all had no right to have any say in my naming and that he and only he had the right to make that decision. I'm also very proud of Harry for keeping the decisions to name James Sirius Potter and Lily Luna Potter to himself and not sharing those decisions with anyone either."

"Yeah, Harry showed right then and there what a great father he is," agreed Devon, "I'm equally proud of Dudley for making sure that he was only person who had any input into naming me. The only person who should ever have any say in the naming of any baby is the baby's father."

"Exactly," chorused James, Albus, and Lily.

"You know what?" said Albus after a pause, "I think bearing the name of Severus means that I have a responsibility to be a brave person myself should the situation call for it. I hope never to find myself in the positions Severus Snape was in but if I do I hope can be 1/3 as brave as he was."

"That would be a tall order," admitted Devon, "Still the Sorting Hat did put you in Gryffindor so you must have at least some courage in you."

At that nanosecond, a note popped up out of thin air.

The note read: Dear James, Albus, Devon, and Lily: Chapter 4 in the Potter-Dursley family history will be the most intensely emotional of all. This chapter, titled the roles of Petunia Dursley and Lily Potter in the Life and Survival of Harry Potter, will bring heartaches, heavy hearts, tears, tears with burning sensations and perhaps more. This chapter is a major reason I deemed it inappropriate for anyone at Hogwarts besides you 4 to read this book. You will all some intensely personal and emotional feelings about chapter 4 and you will all need to help each other and support each other through the emotions of the chapter when this reading comes. My view is that you 4 should know these things as it is your family history. That's why I gave you these books. But some very emotional times will come with the territory of these readings and chapter 4 will be the worst for that. Fair warning. Sincerely - The Room of Requirement.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all felt a bit of foreboding at that but they all still agreed they should learn as much as possible about this history. And if they had 1 thing that made them feel able to handle what was to come, it was that they had each other. James, Albus, Devon, and Lily truly were in this together.


	26. Extremely Emotional Reading

Warning: A bit of strong profanity is used in this chapter.

James, Albus, Devon and Lily had their 4th meeting in the Room of Requirement on Sunday, May 17th, 2020 at 1.p.m. Hogwarts time. The now familiar pattern of Lily holding the door for James, Albus, and Devon and the 4 of them waiting for that all important locking sound after Lily shut the door held but after that this meeting had an entirely different feeling to it.

The tension in the air was palpable as James, Albus, Devon, and Lily sat down on the long white sofa opened their books to chapter 4.

Upon seeing the chapter title of The Roles of Petunia Dursley and Lily Potter in the Life and Survival of Harry Potter, James, Albus, Devon and Lily all felt a strong and unpleasant queasy feeling in their stomachs. The foreboding they had felt the previous Sunday when the Room of Requirement had delivered its ominous note was back and intensified by a factor of 1000.

James, Albus, and Lily all felt a mortifying sense of anticipation at the prospect of reading about how Lily had died for Harry. They were dreading how emotionally intense this reading was going to be. Devon, meanwhile, had a nasty fear that he was about to learn that Petunia had hated Harry more than he had realized and/or that Petunia had been far worse to Harry than he had realized.

Yet a fierce determination was present inside all 4 of them. With their belief in doing these readings totally unshaken, James, Albus, Devon, and Lily were ready to attack this chapter, cope with whatever emotions would come from it, and move on with whatever added knowledge the chapter would give them. As such, they all looked down at their books and read:

...

After Severus relayed what he knew of the prophecy to Voldemort and informed Dumbledore of what he had done, Dumbledore alerted James and Lily Potter to the fact that Voldemort was now specifically after them. Dumbledore advised the Potters to use a Secret Keeper and even offered to be the Potters Secret Keeper himself. However, James and Lily, who were intimately close with Sirius Black, had insisted on using Sirius as their Secret Keeper. Tragically, Sirius outthought himself and convinced James and Lily to switch Secret Keepers at the last minute and use Peter Pettigrew instead. Pettigrew, however, betrayed the Potters and revealed their location to Voldemort. When Voldemort arrived in Godric's Hollow, James had ordered Lily to take Harry and run while he fought Voldemort. James put up a struggle but was killed by Voldemort. Voldemort then moved in on Harry. Voldemort asked Lily to step aside so he could kill Harry. Lily, however, refused to stand aside and begged Voldemort to kill her instead. Voldemort eventually killed Lily. Voldemort then used Avada Kedavra on Harry but for the only time ever, it failed. The curse rebounded, Harry Potter survived with a lightning shaped scar on his forehead, and Voldemort lost his powers. Lily, in sacrificing herself for Harry, had evoked an ancient magic revolving around love which prevented Voldemort from killing him. Dumbledore, meanwhile, put his trust in Lily's blood when it came to Harry. The ancient magic had also meant that if Harry could call any place where his mother's blood dwelled home, Harry could not be killed or touched by Voldemort while at that place. For this reason, Dumbledore saw to it that Harry went to the house of Lily's only remaining living relative, her sister, Petunia Dursley. Dumbledore knew that many of Voldemort's supporters were at large and angry, desperate, and violent, and he had known that Voldemort would rise again in the future. Petunia, as it happened knew of all this. By taking Harry in, Petunia sealed the Charms Dumbledore had placed around Harry and provided a refuge for Harry's safety. Petunia knew perfectly well that allowing Harry houseroom may well have helped to keep him alive. While Petunia never did make amends with Lily, it must be said that Petunia never wanted Lily dead. While it cannot be denied that Petunia was furious and bitter about raising Harry in her household, she also would not have had Lily's son die on her account. If it was a choice between allowing Harry houseroom or risking his death, Petunia would have always chosen the former even if she did so grudgingly. While Petunia's jealously of Lily and subsequent disdain for magic never left her, her treatment of Harry while Harry was living with the Dursleys was actually far worse than her own feelings would have dictated due to Vernon's extreme hatred of Harry. Vernon's hatred of Harry stemmed from his general and natural distain for anything magic or unordinary. Pettigrew meanwhile, framed Sirius for the betrayal of James and Lily by shouting fir a whole street to hear that Sirius had betrayed them. In that same process, Pettigrew had killed 12 muggles and faked his own death, framing Sirius for all the murders. Sirius would spend most of his adult life in Azkaban. Sirius's innocence was not known to most witches and wizards until after his death. Harry grew up in an unhappy environment at the Dursleys where his bedroom was a cupboard under the stairs for most of his childhood years and withholding of meals sometimes used as punishment. Harry, like all witches and wizards, had bouts of accidental magic as a child and this often led to unfair punishment from Vernon and sometimes Petunia as well, Dumbledore knew that Harry would suffer in this environment but as Harry's life and safety were Dumbledore's priorities, Dumbledore never 2nd guessed this decision.

...

James, Albus, Lily, and Devon all had very different reactions to this reading.

James had fallen to the floor in shock. Albus had stood up and looked furious. There was a very menacing look on his face. Lily had burst into tears and had her face buried in her hands. Her tears had a strong burning sensation in them. Devon was deep in thought and his face was unreadable.

"FUCKING TRAITOR!" yelled an enraged Albus, "THAT BASTARD PETTIGREW IS THE REASON JAMES AND LILY DIED! THAT GODDAMN BACKSTABBER IS THE REASON WE HAVE HAD TO GROW UP WITHOUT GRANDPARENTS! JAMES AND LILY MIGHT NEVER HAVE DIED HAD THEY NOT BEEN BETRAYED"

Albus's shouting had caused Lily's head to come up out of her arms and James to stand up. Albus looked downright scary.

"AND YOU!" shouted Albus, rounding on Devon, 'YOUR NASTY FAMILY IS THE REASON HARRY HAD TO EDURE SUCH A HARSH UPBRINGING! PETUNIA KNEW PERFECTLY WELL WHY HARRY WAS IN HER HOUSEHOLD AND STILL BOTH ALLOWED HARRY TO BE TREATED LIKE SHIT AND TREATED HARRY LIKE SHIT HERSELF.!SO AFTER JAMES AND LILY WERE BETRAYED POOR HARRY WAS LEFT TO SUFFER AN ABUSIVE UPRBRINGING THANKS TO YOUR HORRIBLE FAMILY! THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF YOUR LOT!"

And Albus spit directly in Devon's face and landed a right jab right on his nose. Devon's nose broke instantly and loads of blood came out.

James and Lily were stunned by what they just saw but they also knew Albus to be temper prone. They knew they best solution was to not intervene and to allow Albus to cool of on his own.

This didn't happen for about 10 minutes as Albus kept venting about the turncoat Pettigrew.

When Albus had finally calmed down, it was James who spoke.

"I always knew that James and Lily had been murdered by Voldemort and that Lily had sacrificed herself for Harry. But I never knew that James and Lily died because they were betrayed," said James, the shock he was still feeling evident in his voice.

"I suspect," said Lily fairly, "That Harry intended to tell us the full truth at some point. I also think Harry would have been very careful not to give us this piece of information at too young of an age. Harry would have known the shock and anger this revelation would bring and he would have wanted to make sure we were old enough to handle the information. I would guess Harry was planning to give us this information once all 3 of us had become teenagers."

James and Albus nodded, suspecting that Lily was right.

"I'm in shock at the revelation that James's and Lily's deaths were caused by betrayal," said James coldy, "And really, Pettigrew betrayed Sirius almost as much by framing him for several things he had not done: betraying James and Lily, killing 12 muggles, and killing Pettigrew himself. In framing Sirius for murders Pettigrew himself committed as well as for the betrayal of James and Lily and his own "death," Pettigrew put an innocent man in Azkaban for 12 years to save his own skin and allowed the Wizarding World to believe Sirius had betrayed his best friends in the process."

"Pettigrew," said Devon with obvious contempt in his voice, "Ruined a lot of lives by always putting himself 1st. To betray 2 of 1s own best friends and to frame another into the bargain are almost as a low as person can go. Only murdering 1s own parent or child would be worse."

"And don't forget," added Lily with a fierce scowl, "That Pettigrew really sold out Harry as well. The fact Harry managed to survive doesn't change the fact that Pettigrew sold him out."

"Lily," said Devon cautiously, "I saw you sobbing when we finished reading the chapter."

"I was," said Lily heavily, "And my tears had such a burning sensation in them it felt as though acid had been poured on me. What always gets to me about Lily's sacrifice is this; Lily didn't just save Harry Potter, she saved the entire Potter line by sacrificing herself for Harry. If Lily had lived and Harry had died, 1 of 2 things would have happened; Lily would have either lived out her life as a widow and the Potter name would have died out or she would have remarried and taken her new husband's name so that the Potter name still would have died out. And particularly since I do bear her name, it's always been a very emotionally heavy thing for me to realize that we only exist because Lily willingly gave up her own life for Harry's. That neither James nor Albus nor I could exist without Lily having sacrificed her own life is just a really heavy thing to think about."

There were a few minutes of silence and then Lily turned to Devon.

"Devon?' asked Lily, "You seemed deep in thought after the reading finished? What's on your mind?"

"I don't know what to think," said Devon hesitantly, "On 1 hand, it is indisputable that Petunia treated Harry poorly when Harry was growing up. On the other hand, Petunia knew of the circumstances that caused Harry to be placed in her household. As I have always known that Harry was treated poorly by Petunia growing up, that issue isn't nearly as emotional for me to learn about as Petunia's estrangement with Lily was. But I don't whether I should think worse of Petunia because she knew why Harry had to live in her home and she still treated him poorly or whether to think better of her for allowing Harry houseroom."

"More than 1 thing can be true," said Lily calmly, "But I personally take the view that beneath all her anger and jealousy, Petunia had just enough sisterly love left for Lily to be willing to see that her son was protected. There are more than a few people would have sent Harry to an orphanage rather than take him in or even have dumped him off in a dumpster. And Petunia was clearly not as bad as Vernon."

"Lily?' asked Devon, "When we 1st met I was nervous about meeting you because I knew our fathers had been childhood enemies. I also knew that my paternal grandparents had treated Harry poorly as well. While we've become BFFs and I've become close with James as well, I wonder your opinion on something."

"What is that something?" asked Lily patiently.

"As you know," said Devon, "We have arrangements in place so that I will be visiting your house this summer. How do you think Harry will respond to me?'

"Devon," said Lily clearly, "I know for a fact that Harry truly cares about you. I don't knew if the fact that you are his 1st cousin once removed has ever occurred to him. But I know that Harry bears no lingering hard feelings towards Dudley, that Harry never judges people by their family history, and that Harry is always willing to give people a fair shake, and, most importantly, I know that he doesn't see you as Dudley's son so much as he see you as my BFF. You see, Harry was the 1 who was really concerned about your weight problem and how you might not make it to 30 if you didn't correct that. While Harry, Ginny, James, Albus, and I were eating Christmas dinner, it was Harry who gave me the mission to come to you about your weight problem. Harry knew you trusted me beyond anyone else and he believed I was the only person who could get through to you."

"So then?" asked Devon in an amazed voice, "Harry Potter is the person who is really responsible for me confronting and eliminating my weight problem?"

"Well," said Lily slowly, "I can, humbly I say this, take a lot of the credit insomuch as that I knew how to get through to you and I was the 1 to choose how to motivate you and I was the 1 who succeeded in making you see how you needed to take responsibility for your own life. And James can take a little credit for convincing you to give up beer. But Harry is the 1 who brought the issue to my attention and gave me the mission to talk to you and help you. He was also the 1 who provided the sheet of weight loss exercises for me to give you."

"Let me add," said James proudly, "That Harry would have wanted you to get help even if he had no idea who you are. Harry cares about kids and cares a bout people. That's part of who he is."

"I will make sure to acknowledge and thank Harry when I visit the Potter household this summer," said Devon weakly, "It sounds as if it wasn't for his concern..."

There was 20 minutes of silence afire this as they all took in what they had learned on this day.

The silence was broken by Albus.

"Hey, Devon," said Albus with guilt in his voice, "Look I'm sorry about yelling at you and attacking you earlier. I know you are not a bad person but I kinda lost it in the heat of the moment. I know we aren't as close as you are with both James and Lily so you should be aware that i can have a nasty temper sometimes. I just got really emotional and-"

"That's quite alright," said Devon gently, "Sometimes things are said and/or done in the heat of the moment and you'd just learned something extremely emotional. I understand. Don't worry buddy. My nose can be fixed easily enough. And you won't get in trouble either. Madam Pomfrey isn't big on asking questions. I accept your apology and I forgive you 100%."

Devon offered Albus a handshake and Albus took it.

"These are important readings," said James firmly, "If some emotional flare-ups come along with them, so be it."

Looking ahead in her book, Lily said, "Hey chapter 5 is titled Why Harry Potter named his daughter Lily Luna Potter!"


	27. The Naming of Lily Luna Potter

On Sunday, May 24th 2020 at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time, James, Albus, Devon, and Lily made it back to the Room of Requirement with Lily taking care of the door as usual. After the familiar locking sound had kicked in and all 4 them were seated on the long white sofa , the 4 of them came to an agreement that this would be the last of these meetings of the school year and that they would resume them in September. They had exams coming up and would need to focus on them.

Lily was understandably eager to read chapter 4 that was titled Why Harry Potter named his daughter Lily Luna Potter. James, Albus, and Devon had all opened their books on Potter/Dursley family history to the chapter as well, but it was both clear and predictable that Lily had the most interest in this chapter. James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all read another transcript written in Harry's POV.

...

For a 3rd time in 5 years I find myself at a table in the Leaky Cauldron preparing to give Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah some big news.

"Well," I say with anticipation, "I have some very big news to deliver."

"You have chosen a name for your daughter who is due in 2 weeks." guesses Hermione, clearly knowing by now how this routine would work.

"That is correct," I say clearly, "Choosing a 1st name for her was incredibly easy. I am giving my daughter the 1st name of Lily after my mother."

I feel a few tears drip down my face after making this announcement.

"Harry, are you okay?" asks Ginny gently.

"I-I well," I begin weakly as a few more tears come down my face, "It's just that of all the names I have selected for my children this 1 is the most emotional."

"Why is that?" asks Neville in a polite voice, "I thought all of your children's names were chosen either for people who were very important to you or who you really wanted to honor."

"And your 1st son bears the names of your late father and godfather," pipes up Ron.

"What's so different about this naming?" asks Hannah quietly.

"What's sets this naming apart," I say with emotion, "Is the fact that my mother knowingly and consciously sacrificed her own life for mine. I've never lost sight of the fact that my mother died for me."

The rate of my crying starts to increase. Both Ginny and Luna pat me on the back. Sometimes Ginny and Luna have a way of being able to comfort me when even Ron and Hermione can't. This is 1 of those times.

"There's something else that needs to be said as well," I say fiercely, "Lily didn't just save me when she laid down her life. She saved the entire Potter line. If it hadn't been for her not only would I have died as an infant but James, Albus, and now Lily wouldn't exist either."

"Harry, when you point all that out, it couldn't be clearer that Lily is the most appropriate name you could choose for your daughter," acknowledges Hermione, looking a little emotional herself.

"Harry, you could not have chosen a better person to honor with your daughter's name than your mother," agrees Ginny.

"I can't begin to express how much it means to me to able to honor my mother by giving my daughter her name," I say in a choked up voice.

I go silent for a few minutes and Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah are respectful enough to give me this time for quiet thought.

"My announcement is only 1/2 done," I say after these few minutes.

"Yes, what middle name have you chosen for your daughter?" asks Hannah.

"I am giving my daughter the middle name of Luna after my dear friend Luna Lovegood," I say with conviction.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all sit frozen for few nanoseconds. Then Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Hannah all look between myself and Luna.

Finally, Luna looks up at me and says, "That means a lot to me Harry. I am touched that you value my friendship enough that you would name your name your daughter for me."

"Why did you choose to name your daughter for Luna?" asks Neville.

"Luna is a very dear friend of mine," I say warmly, "At the end 5th year, when I was struggling to cope with Sirius's death, Luna somehow managed to comfort me even when Ron and Hermione couldn't."

"How?" asks Hannah curiously, "Ron and Hermione are your best friends, shouldn't they be able to comfort you most?"

"In that case," I say clearly, "Luna and I were in a corridor and the topic of Sirius's death came up. I remembered in the moment that Luna could see thestrals. I asked Luna if she'd ever known anyone who had died and she explained how she lost her mother when she was only 9. In that moment I felt a sort of kindred spirit with Luna. Luna could relate to how I was feeling at the time because she herself had been through the pain of losing someone she had been very close with. I felt less alone after that talk with Luna. Luna was able to comfort me more than Ron or Hermione because she had been in my position before and knew how I was feeling."

A respectful silence follows this but I quickly get back on task.

"Then there's the fact that Luna was 1 of the very few people to respond to my D.A. summons on the night Dumbledore died," I say clearly, "I don't forget things like that."

"When I restarted the D.A. in the year you were away," pipes up Ginny "I had to reissue the D.A. galleons because most people had thrown theirs out after Umbridge was removed from Hogwarts. Only 3 people at Hogwarts that year had kept their coins; myself, Neville, and Luna."

"Luna was 1 of the most loyal members of the D.A.," I say proudly, "That's another good reason for her to receive the honor of my naming my daughter after her. Loyalty is a trait I value dearly and Luna clearly is a loyal person."

"As a Hufflepuff, I certainly appreciate that," says Hannah.

"You've made a much better choice for the middle name of your daughter than you did for the middle name of your 2nd son," says Ron firmly.

Yes, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah had all disapproved of my decision to give my 2nd son the middle name of Severus but I made it clear to them that it was my decision and not any of theirs. While I was not going to permit Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah to have any say in my daughter's naming either, I knew perfectly well they would all take it better.

"A key moment for me that told me everything I needed to know about Luna as a person was her very moving tribute to Dobby after Dobby's death," I say with emotion.

"That was a sad time," says Luna quietly.

"Very few witches or wizards have proper respect for house elves," says Hermione fretfully, "But Luna is a witch who does."

"I can still hear Luna's sad and meaningful voice, I say, "Thank you so much, Dobby, for rescuing me from that cellar. It's so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good and brave. I'll always remember what you did for us. I hope you're happy now."

"That speech came from here," says Luna, pointing straight at her heart.

"That's the thing that I always have respected about it. It was genuine and so sincere."

Luna nods.

"And perhaps the biggest moment of all, the moment that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt what kind of friend Luna is, was that just after the war had ended when I was tired and unwanting of attention and everyone in the Great Hall was trying to see or touch me, Luna created a distraction that allowed me just enough time to get my Invisibility Cloak on so that I could have some peace and quiet and move freely without everyone bothering me."

You're a great friend yourself, Harry," says Luna softly, "It says a lot about you that you remember all those moments and that you truly appreciate them."

"Luna is a wonderful person and I couldn't be happier that she is being honored by having a baby named after her," says Ginny happily, "Luna was 1 of my best friends at Hogwarts in spite of our house differences and I've known longer than most what kind of person Luna truly is beneath the radish earrings and butterbeer cork necklaces. I almost find it surreal that of all people, Harry Potter, has chosen to name his daughter after Luna."

"Luna is a special person who truly deserves the honor," agrees Neville, "I can remember her helping me into my seat at Dumbledore's funeral. And during my 7th and her and Ginny's 6th year at Hogwarts, she showed true bravery and loyalty throughout the year."

"I can remember Luna comforting me in times of distress," says Hermione, "Yes, excellent decision, Harry."

I'm not looking for praise. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah have no say in this decision and their input would not have been considered had they given any.

Yet I am gratified that Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah reacted they way they did to my announcement and it makes me feel warm inside that Luna truly appreciates the honor of my daughter bearing her name.

"I have 1 more announcement," I finally say to Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah.

"What is it?" asks Ron.

"Lily Luna Potter will be my final child," I inform Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah, "I actually made the decision many years ago that 3 would be the number of children I would have."

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah just nod their heads. None of them seem surprised so there isn't much for them to say about it. Finally Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all say "Coagulations, Harry" at once, clearly referring to the fact Id always wanted 3 children and soon would have 3 children.

Looking at it now, I am so proud and so glad that I kept the decisions to name James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, and Lily Luna Potter to myself and did not permit Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah to have a say in my personal decisions.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah are indeed those closest to me. That doesn't make them bosses to me and it does not mean they should have a voice in very intimately personal decisions of mine. I am true to myself and now the naming of Lily Luna Potter is another example of that."

...

Lily did have a few tears in her eyes upon reading Harry's thoughts about naming her Lily. The topic of Lily's sacrifice was always emotional for her.

James, Albus, and Devon knew that this was an emotional subject for her so they patiently waited until she'd gathered herself.

"So, Lily?' asked Devon once she had, "What do think of the name Luna?"

"To me," said Lily proudly, "Bearing the name Luna means that I should be expected to live up to the traits of compassion, loyalty, respect and kindness."

"You do," chorused James, Albus, and Devon.

"Think about it," continued Lily, "Take the points Harry used as evidence to why Luna deserved the honor of Harry naming me after Luna: There's the compassion Luna showed Harry after Sirius's death. There's the loyalty Luna showed as a D.A. member. There's the respect Luna showed Harry's friend Dobby after Dobby's death. And there's the kindness Luna showed Harry in the immediate aftermath of Voldemort's defeat."

"You've certainly shown all of that to me since we've met," Devon told Lily meaningfully. "You showed me great compassion when my Grandma Petunia died unexpectedly. You have shown my great respect since we met by not judging me on my family history and in keeping everything we've learned in here between ourselves. Your loyalty to all your family and friends is unquestionable. And you showed incredible kindness towards me when you helped me with my trunk before we'd even met."

"She's always been all that to me too," said James radiantly, "Ever since we were babies, Lily has been as wonderful a sister to me as any boy could hope for."

"She's been all that to me too even though we aren't close siblings," said Albus matter of factly.

"Can you give examples?" asked Devon.

"I suspect," said Albus, pointing at the book, "That there will be a chapter on the relationship between James, Albus, and Lily. If that turns out not to be the case, we'll tell you more after the book is fully read."

"That's more than fair," agreed Devon, "And you are probably right. Now, you said last week that you 3 know Luna?"

"We do know her, " explained Lily, "She's a beloved family friend. But our opportunities to see her are rare because she is a wizarding naturalist and that is a profession that requires a lot of travel around the whole world."

At the end of the meeting, Devon shook hands with James, Albus, and Lily, and thanked them for keeping the discussions of the previous weeks chapters confined to this room. They also thanked him for keeping his promise not to talk about the book on Potter/Dursley family history outside of the Room of requirement.

James, Albus, Devon and Lily all felt these readings productive and informative and they were more than ready to continue them. It was just that they would need to focus their efforts on studying now that exams were so close. This was especially true for James as he was in O.W.L. year.

Lily lay in bed later that night thinking about her name and what it meant. The more she thought about having the middle name of Luna, the more she realized 1 thing; to live up to the name of Luna meant having to be a good person and a good friend.

As being a good person and a good friend were high priorities for Lily in and of themselves, Lily had no doubt about her ability to live up to her middle name.

Luna Lovegood could be proud of Lily Luna Potter.


	28. Samantha's Surprise and James's Joy

After James, Albus, Devon, and Lily left the Room of Requirement on May 24th, 2020, Albus went to the library to study with Rose and , Pamela, while James, Devon, and Lily joined Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie and Samantha in the common room.

"I have a surprise for you all," Samantha told her friends in a crisp and clear voice once James, Devon, and Lily were present.

"What is it?" piped up Lily.

"You guys are going to love this," said Samantha with a smile, "This August my home state of Arizona is hosting the semifinals and finals of the Quidditch United States Cup. This event will be held at University of Phoenix Stadium, home of my beloved Arizona Cardinals."

"That's awesome, Samantha!" exclaimed Stephanie, "Are you going to be able to go yourself?"

"I am," said Samantha eagerly, "And that's not all!"

"What else is there to it?' asked Ainsley excitedly.

"I have secured enough tickets to be able to invite all of you as well!" said Samantha happily.

James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all burst into wide smiles. They all enjoyed Quidditch and James, Stephanie, and Lily, all of whom were bona fide Quidditch junkies, felt thrilled at the prospect of attending the Quidditch United States Cup.

"How many tickets do you possess?" asked James.

"7" said Samantha with a smirk, "You know, the most powerfully magical number."

"Hey, Samantha?" asked James, "You said August but you didn't give us specific dates."

"Semifinals on Friday, August 14, 2020, finals on Sunday, August 16th, 2020, " answered Samantha, "I also need to inform you about the conditions that accepting my invitation comes with. If you accept my invitation you agree to abide by these terms. If you are not comfortable with some or all of these terms you may decline your invitation with no hard feelings on my part."

"What are these terms?" asked Lily.

"1st of all," said Samantha clearly, "Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily, you 3 will be sleeping outdoors in sleeping bags with me the 2 nights you are at my house. My house doesn't have enough rooms for everyone to have a room. The Savers house has 2 extra rooms for guests to stay in and I'll give up my room for the time you all are there. This will allow James, Devon, and Hugo to have rooms and sleep in real beds. But. Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily, you 3 will have to sleep outdoors in sleeping bags and I will be doing the same.

"I'd sleep on hard rock if the payout was getting to go to a big time Quidditch event," said Lily radiantly.

"Damn straight!" agreed Stephanie, "A few nights of less comfortable than usual sleeping arrangements is a small price to pay to get to go to the Quidditch United States Cup. QUDDITCH FOREVER BABY!"

"Indeed," beamed Lily, "To be able to attend the Quidditch United States Cup will be an awesome experience. And anyway, it's really decent of you to invite us at all."

"I'm happy to have you all come," smiled Samantha, "But it is also my responsibility to be honest about everything that accepting my invitation will encompass. Also, on Saturday, August 15, my Arizona Cardinals will be hosting the Oakland Raiders in their 1st preseason game, I have tickets for that game as well and I'd like you all to come along so I can introduce you to the great United States sport of Football "

James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all nodded and gave Samantha smiles. They didn't what the sport of Football would be like but they liked the idea of trying out watching what would be a new sport for them.

"What else should we know?" asked Hugo.

"There's 1 last condition," said Samantha matter of factly, "There can be NO yelling or raised voice volumes at my house. If you yell or raise your voice at my house Samuel and Sarah will send you home straight away and you will never be allowed at my house again."

"No different from Dudley and Debra, "piped up Devon.

"I agree with them," acknowledged Samantha, "I think Samuel is right on the money when he says that good parents never yell at their children and that good people never yell at ANY other people."

"Sounds like something Debra would say," said Devon briskly, "And it really is true."

"So," said Samantha briskly, "You know the terms, raise your hand if you accept my invite."

James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all raised both of their hands.

"Excellent," beamed Samantha.

At that nanosecond James's owl swooped in and dropped a letter on his lap.

James opened the letter and read.

"Dear Mr. Potter

As the Wandmaking class idea that won you a gold medal in the Hogwarts Writing Competition was indeed, well, your idea, we deem it only fair that you be allowed to have some involvement in the process. While it will be required for students who are taking the course to take it from 3rd year on and no student older than this year's 1st years will be able to take the course due to the logistical issues that will not allow the course to be offered until the 2021-2022 school year and the inability to join the subject material in progress, we would like to offer you an opportunity to play a major role in this revolutionary class. We would like to offer you the opportunity to be the teacher for the Wandmaking class! So how would this work? Mr. Olivander will take you under his wing during your 6th year at Hogwarts. He will give you a year's worth of training on how to make wands. This training will have to occur at a time when Olivander's shop is closed so that it does not disrupt witches and wizards who need to get or replace wands from doing so. The specific time is still to be determined but be prepared for these training sessions to occur late at night. You will get training 2 times per week and at the end of year you will be given a test to demonstrate how well you understand wandmaking and wandlore. You will also make a sample wand to prove you are ready to take the teaching position for the 2021-2022 school year. The 2021-2022 school year is your 7th year as well and you will still be required to take classes. The Wandmaking class will be scheduled around that. This won't be a problem because there will only be 1 class, the 3rd years of that year, in 2021-2022. Should you come up short, you will be offered additional training over the summer. We believe in you and are confident you will succeed at earning the teaching position. A backup plan to bring in a foreign wandmaker is in place should you come up short but we fully expect you to become the Wandmaking teacher in 2021-2022. The finalized times for your training will be included in your 2020-2021 Hogwarts course schedule. Mr. Olivander will be teaching you both wandlore and the wandmaking process. Please note that these training sessions will be rigorous. Please send this letter back with your signature if you are accept this offer.

Sincerely - Mr. Olivander and Hogwarts Headmistress Minerva McGonagall."

Below this was a place for James to sign.

"Wow!" said an awestruck Lily, "James becoming a teacher at age 17! And for James to have the opportunity to become the very 1st Hogwarts Wandmaking teacher after adding Wandmaking classes was his idea is so fitting. "

James took out a pen, signed the letter, and sent it back with his owl. Then he raised his wand.

"Expecto Patronum!" cried James.

And a corporeal Patronus shot out of James's wand. A corporeal Patronus that took the form of a stag.

"This is 1 of the happiest moments of your life, isn't it, baby bro?" asked Lily quietly.

"Absolutely, big sis!" said James with clear cut jubilation in his voice. "To have my idea both win me a gold medal and an Old Faithful bar and to have it used was joyous in and of itself, even more so when I shared that night's triumph with you and your related idea, big sis. But to have the opportunity to be trained by Olivander himself and to be able to become the 1st teacher of the class is surreal."

Lily put out her hand.

"Baby bro," said Lily, "I just want to shake your hand. I can't tell you how proud I am of you."

James gladly took Lily's handshake.

"Coagulations, James," said Hugo meaningfully, "We're all so happy for you."

"It's awesome to something like this happen for you, James," said Devon sincerely.

"I'm glad to see that James really appreciates this opportunity, " said Samantha crisply.

"You can totally tell how much it means to him," observed Stephanie.

"No doubt!" smiled Ainsley.

"Baby bro, you have a real opportunity to be remembered in the annals of Hogwarts," said Lily with emotion.

James burst into song:

"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme, when you wish upon a star, as dreamers do. Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you through, when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true!"

Neither James nor Lily slept that night.

James was too excited thinking about the path that lie ahead for him and Lily couldn't stop thinking of how much this meant to James and how proud she was of James and happy she was for him.

Another Potter could go down in the annals of Wizarding History.


	29. Exam Results and End of 1st Year

On Monday, June 15, 2020, 2 weeks after exam week, Hugo, Devon, Stephanie, Ainsley, Samantha and Lily received their exam results.

Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all looked down at the their results and peeked at each other's as well.

The result sheets all had a generic 1st year exam results tag on them with each person's name and grades below this tag.

Devon Dudley Dursley has achieved:

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: E

Transfiguration: A

Care of Magical Creatures: A

Potions: A

Herbology: A

History of Magic: T

Hugo Granger Weasley has achieved:

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: O

Transfiguration: A

Care of Magical Creatures: E

Potions: O

Herbology: O

History of Magic: T

Ainsley Lucy Cochlain has achieved:

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: E

Transfiguration: O

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Potions: E

Herbology: A

History of Magic: T

Stephanie Baylac has achieved:

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: E

Transfiguration: E

Care of Magical Creatures: A

Potions: D

Herbology: A

History of Magic: T

Samantha Sarah Saver has achieved:

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: E

Transfiguration: A

Care of Magical Creatures: A.

Potions: A

Herbology: A

History of Magic: T

Lily Luna Potter has achieved:

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: O

Transfiguration: O

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Potions: O

Herbology: O

History of Magic: T

"Well," said Lily with a smile, "The thing that stands out most is that we all got Os in Charms!"

"Professor Flitwick did tell us very early on in the year that he thought we could all be O students in Charms." remembered Hugo.

"Having grown up in the Wizarding World," piped up Ainsley, "I think any student should be able to achieve a grade of O in 1st year Charms so long as the course is taught by a competent teacher and we all know Flitwick is. Thing is, Charms is the most basic subject in magic. Charms is the fundamental subject in magic and 1st year Charms classes cover mostly basic stuff."

"As Charms is my favorite subject, I am utterly delighted that we all got Os in Charms," said Lily happily.

"I'm a pretty average student," said Devon matter of factly, "I am pleased that I got an E in Defense Against the Dark Arts since that's such an important subject. It's good to know I'm doing well there."'

'I'm glad to see that you, being muggleborn, have already picked up on the importance of Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Lily approvingly.

'I did quite a bit of reading on the Wizarding World before coming to Hogwarts after McGonagall told me I was a wizard," Devon reminded her, "I know all about the wizarding wars, Grindewald, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Harry Potter, Dumbledore's Army, the Death Eaters, the Order of the Phoenix, and so forth. I know the importance of being prepared and alert. I am now going to set a goal for myself of becoming an O student in Defense Against the Dark Arts next year."

"Devon, sweetie," predicted Lily fiercely, "You WILL become an O student in Defense Against the Dark Arts next year. I KNOW you will. You showed with your successful weight loss this year how good you are at achieving goals when you put your mind to something and it's obvious that you fully appreciate how important the subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts is."

"Thanks, Lily, dear, " said Devon brightly, messing up Lily's hair with his left hand and rubbing her belly button with his right hand, "I really appreciate your faith in me."

"My greatest strength," said Hugo clearly, "Has always been wandless magic, "From the time I was 5 I have had a very strong interest in Potions and as Potions does not require spellwork, young witches and wizards can practice Potions at home even before they get their wands. I have a natural talent for Potions and it's my favorite subject. I enjoy Herbology as well because I like plants. Hermione fully expects me to be an O student in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She has preached the importance of this subject since I can remember. Overall I'm a good student. Transfiguration is a weaker subject area for me and I can accept that as i don't get much enjoyment or interest out of Transfiguration anyway. As for Charms, I'll be honest, I don't see myself as an O student in Charms in the long run. I honestly think my O in Charms this year has to do with what we already talked about regarding 1st year Charms being pretty basic. I suspect that I'll be between E and A in Charms once we hit 3rd year. I'll strive to hit that E but I truly don't see myself as an O Charms student once the course work gets more rigorous."

"I love your honesty, Hugo," said Lily clearly, "You can still be a great contributor to the Wizarding World even if you aren't the best in Charms and Transfiguration. Potion Making is a vital skill in many occupations and your knowledge of plants will prove invaluable to you. Being successful is about taking advantage of your strengths and you've got some awesome strengths."

"Thanks Lily, You're always so encouraging," replied Hugo, "The rest of us lucky to have you. Your constant encouragement always bolsters us."

"Hey, Hugo?" asked Devon, "Do you remember Megan's bronze medal winning idea in the Hogwarts Writing Competition?"

"OOOH!" realized Hugo suddenly, "Lily, when we get our books on wizarding careers I will search for occupations that highly value Herbology knowledge and Potion Making Skills."

"Good," said Lily approvingly, "Everyone has something they can contribute to the Wizarding World. Just find your strengths and you'll soar high in life."

"I'm a very good student," said Ainsley proudly, "But my favorite subject is Transfiguration. You lot have seen how good my Transfiguration skills are."

"And it's come in quite useful for us," smiled Lily, "As it allowed me to get my prize(d) ring back on Thanksgiving, Though I'm actually surprised that Care of Magical Creatures isn't your favorite subject. You've always seemed to love animals."

"I do," said Ainsley warmly, "Care of Magical Creatures is right up there and I'm pleased to be an O student in Care of Magical Creatures as well. Herbology is a weaker area for me and that's to be expected as plants bore me."

"I'm the opposite of Hugo, " piped up Stephanie, "By far my strongest areas are in subjects that require wandwork. My only O was in Charms, which i know to be my best subject. But I also got Es in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. I sincerely believe that had I grown up in the Wizarding World instead of being muggleborn that i would've been an O student in all 3 subjects this year. And I'm sure i can become an O student in both Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration next year."

"I love your self confidence, Stephanie," said Lily crisply, "Plus, you're a hardworking student so I know you'll put the necessary effort into bringing those grades up to where you want them to be next year."

"Stephanie did fail Potions," though," pointed out Samantha.

"I suck at Potions and I always will. And I HATE Potions," said Stephanie passionately, "Such a fiddly subject. I don't know what's worse between muggle Chemistry and wizarding Potions."

"My grades are the same as Devon's," observed Samantha, "I think time will tell what kind of student I will be. I think I might prove to be a late bloomer like Neville Longbottom. was. Not really not much to say about my scores. I think I've yet to discover my areas of strength and weakness."

"I was mostly a straight O student, "said Lily in a voice that oozed pride without being boastful, "I wouldn't say I have a favorite subject. However, the subjects I care most about doing well in are Charms and Potions. My Grandma Lily was said to have been an excellent Potions student and her wand was said to have been excellent for Charm work. I have an extremely similar wand to the wand she used. These are things I bare in mind and even so because I bare her name. That said, it is an indisputable truism that Defense Against the Dark Arts is our most important subject."

"Coagulations on being tops in our year, Lily" said Hugo sincerely, "I'm super duper proud of you."

"We all are," added Devon with a smile and Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie nodded.

Lily had been the best, but everyone was happy with their results, even those who set goals to improve. Apart from their history scores, the only subject any of them failed was Stephanie failing Potions and that was to be expected. All of them had easily earned entry into 2nd year.

That night after dinner, James approached Lily,

"Lily," said James calmly, "I'd like to speak with you about something 1 on 1.

"Of course, baby bro," replied Lily instantly.

"Thanks, big sis," replied James and he led Lily up to his room.

"Lily," said James in a crystal clear voice once they were inside of James's room, "There is the possibility that you will be 1 of my students year after next when Wandmaking classes begin."

"I think that's highly likely," said Lily.

"As such," continued James, "There's is something I need to tell you. When you are in my classes, I will not treat you as a sister or as a friend. I will treat you as a student and I will treat you just like any other student."

"That's the way it should be," said Lily approvingly, "I am assuming you mean that you will not hesitate to give me a poor grade, criticize my work, or point out I'm doing poorly at something if that is the case and you will be completely fair and honest."

"Yes,' said James, "But there's something else as well, "And that has to do with how we address each other."

"You mean none of this "big sis" and "baby bro" stuff while in class. We must call each other James and Lily in that classroom," guessed Lily.

"You have the right idea," said James clearly, "But we need to go further. We will not even call each other James and Lily in that classroom. I will call you Miss Potter and you will address me as Professor Potter. This is how students and professors always address each other and I do not wish to make any exceptions as I don't want any potential for a show of favoritism to exist. You have my word that this will not affect our relationship outside of that classroom."

"You're absolutely right James," said Lily seriously, "I'm glad to see you already thinking about how to handle the position in a professional manner. Personal relationships must never interfere with a person's job and favoritism or any appearance thereof is a no-no for teachers in their classrooms."

On Wednesday, June 31st, 2020, the Hogwarts Express took the students home for the summer. James, , Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all sat in the very back compartment of the Hogwarts Express. They talked about the year gone by and when the lunch trolley came around, Lily, being the generous girl that she was, paid for all 7 of them.

As it so happened, Albus had deboarded the Hogwarts Express and found Harry and Ginny before James and Lily.

When they found Harry, Ginny, and Albus, James and Lily exchanged hugs with their immediate family and Harry and Ginny side apparted the kids home with Harry taking James and Lily and Ginny taking Albus.

James, Albus, and Lily were happy to be home at Potter Manor for the summer and enjoyed sleeping in their own beds that night.


	30. Fate of a Friend?

On Monday, July 6th, 2020, The Potters received both some very good and some very sad news.

The happy news came in the form of an official letter that James received.

Not too long after Harry, Ginny, James, Albus, and Lily had finished their breakfast of 2 pancakes, 2 sausage links, and 1 glass of Sunny Delight each, a black owl appeared outside their window. The owl had an official looking paper in its beak.

"That paper must be my O.W.L. results!" squealed James in a voice that sounded 1/2 excited and 1/2 nervous.

James eagerly went to open the window and sure enough the owl dropped his O.W.L. results in his lap.

The owl quickly went off again and James glanced at his results.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results.

James Sirius Potter has achieved:

Ancient Runes: E

Care of Magical Creatures: E

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: O

Herbology: E

Potions: E

Transfiguration: O+

History of Magic: T

James passed his results around to Harry, Ginny, Albus, and finally Lily and had a broad smile on his face as Lily handed him his results back.

"Great job, James," said Harry in a serious but proud voice, "3 Os including an O+ in Transfiguration, which is only the most difficult course that Hogwarts offers. This is wonderful work James."

"It's great to see that you got Os in the 3 most important subjects," said Ginny warmly.

"Coagulations, baby bro!" squealed Lily in a voice that oozed both happiness and pride, "You obviously put a lot of effort into your exams to get such great marks. 3 Os with an O+ in Transfiguration is stellar work and I couldn't be prouder of you!"

"Thanks, big sis," said James with a smile, "Defense Against the Dark Arts is THE most important subject for all witches and wizards. We Potters, especially Harry, know that all too well. But I suspect Charms and Transfiguration are also the most important subjects for me. My instincts tell me that Charms and Transfiguration are the most important subjects for wandmakers. "

"That makes sense," agreed Lily, "Harry, Ginny, do you 2 know about James being offered a teaching position at Hogwarts starting in the 2021-2022 school as a Wandmaking professor?"

"We do!" chorused Harry and Ginny.

Harry went up to his bedroom and quickly returned with several Daily Prophet clippings.

The 1st had a big large all caps headline:

POTTER SIBLINGS TIE FOR GOLD!

A subheadline read:

Wonderful wand ideas net win for James and Lily Potter.

Below the subheadline was a moving picture of James and Lily with their arms around each other as they walked up to the winners podium.

A second daily Prophet headline read:

JAMES POTTER TO BECOME WANDMAKING TEACHER AT HOGWARTS in 2021-2022!

A subheadline below this read:

James to receive personal training from Olivander in 2020-2021.

After putting the newspaper clippings back in his room, Harry returned and addressed James and Lily.

"James, Lily, May I be totally honest with you 2 about something?" asked Harry cautiously.

"Yes." chorused James and Lily simply,

"Personally, "said Harry, "I feel that James was more deserving of being the gold medal winner than Lily. While Lily's idea of starting a fund to ensure all Hogwarts students can arrive at school with 1st hand wands was a fantastic idea that will help out a number of Hogwarts students, James's idea to introduce Wandmaking courses will have a great positive long term effect on the entire Wizarding World. Not only does James's idea ensure that British witches and wizards will still be able to get wands after Olivander dies, but because it should create a number of wandmakers in the long run, there will be more competition in the marketplace prices will go down, and choices will become more diverse. Don't misunderstand, Lily, I am very proud of you for your idea. I just think James deserved the win more because his idea is more far reaching and also because it was bolder."

"I'm glad the judges ruled the way they did," said James fiercely, "Being able to share that triumph with Lily made it so much more special for me and remember that the ideas being related was a factor in that decision."

"I agree with you Harry, " admitted Lily, "James did have the bolder idea. I'm so proud of James that he's actually going to be a Wandmaking teacher. That said, I feel no guilt about sharing 1st place with James given that our ideas turned out to be related."

"I'm not against the decision the judges made. The tie was a reasonable ruling. I'm just giving my own personal opinion that I think James had the best idea." clarified Harry.

"Everything happens to those 2," butted in Albus in a bitter voice.

"Come again?' Harry asked Albus in a confused voice.

"Nothing ever happens for me!" said Albus resentfully, "James gets to be Quidditch Commentator, Lily gets to be Seeker for Gryffindor, James and Lily tie for gold in the Hogwarts Writing Competition!"

"James and Lily earned those things," said Harry calmly, "You could try being happy for your brother and sister."

'WHY SHOULD I BE HAPPY FOR THEM WHEN NOTHING EVER HAPPENS FOR ME!" shouted Albus in a very angry voice as he started to lose his temper, "LILY WAS GIVEN THE SEEKER POSITION WITHOUT HAVING TO TRY OUT!"

"That's because of how well she showed she could fly during her 1st flying lesson," James defended Lily, "Wesley didn't just blindly hand her the spot out of thin air."

"Well said, James," said Harry approvingly.

"THAT'S HARDLY THE WORST OF IT EITHER! Yelled Albus, "JAMES AND LILY HAD EVERYONE FAWNING ALL OVER THEM OVER THE HOGWARTS WRITING COMPETITION WHEN MY BRILLINAT IDEA WASN'T EVEN GIVEN AN HONORABLE MENTION!"

"What was your idea?" Lily asked Albus, feeling curious.

'TO HAVE THE WORTHLESS HOUSE OF SLYTHERIN ELIMINATED FROM HOGWARTS! roared Albus, "I SUBMITTED A PAPER SUGESSTING THAT ANY STUDENT SORTED INTO SLYTHERIN BE AUTOMATICALLY EXPELLED FROM HOGWARTS UNLESS THE SORTING HAT DECLARES THEY ARE ALSO FIT FOR ANOTHER HOUSE SO THAT THE HOUSE OF BELLATRIX LESTRANGE AND LORD VOLDEMORT COULD BE REMOVED FROM HOGWARTS! I STILL DON'T GET HOW LILY DOESN'T GRASP HOW EVIL SLYTHERIN HOUSE IS AFTER WHAT PHILLIP EDGECOMBE TRIED TO DO TO HER IN HER 1ST QUIDDITCH MATCH! BUT, NO, MY IDEA GETS OVERLOOKED WHILE EVRYONE FAWNS OVER JAMES AND LILY!"

"There are good Slytherins!" insisted James for what seemed like the billionth time, "I have several Slytherin friends at Hogwarts. Megan Nash of Slytherin is a particularly good friend of mine."

"And Megan went out of her way to comfort me and make sure I was okay after the incident involving Phillip Edgecombe even though she and I don't know each other very well. And the Slytherin captain, Ernie MacMillan Jr was very classy to me."

Harry smiled at James and Lily, glad that they had this opened minded view of all the houses.

"DAMN!" vented Albus, 'IT'S ALWAYS JAMES THIS, LILY THAT, LILY THIS, JAMES THAT. AND I'M THE IGNORED 1! NOTHING EVER HAPPENS TO ME OR FOR ME! WELL, THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF THAT!"

Albus 1st punched both James and Lily on the back as hard as he could, then he spit in both of their faces, and finally, he grabbed both James and Lily by their necks and threw them across the room in the hopes they would land hard on the hard floor. Luckily, Harry was in a position to catch them and he caught Lily in his left hand and James in his right hand. Harry then gently put both James and Lily down.

"James, Lily are you okay?' asked Ginny in a concerned voice.

"My back is really sore where Albus hit me," said James matter of factly.

Harry removed James's shirt and gasped when he saw a very nasty bruise on James's back.

"That's really nasty," said a worried sounding Harry.

"We'll be able to take care of him," said Ginny reassuringly, "I always make sure we have bruise removing cream in the house."

"Then we'll apply some of that to James's back," said Harry in a relived voice.

Without another word, Harry yanked off Lily's shirt and yelped as he saw she had an even worse bruise.

Ginny went into a bathroom and retrieved a tube of generic bruise remover from a medicine cabinet.

"Harry," said Ginny calmly, "I feel more comfortable being the 1 to apply the cream."

"I trust you on this," replied Harry.

"Take care of James 1st," Lily asked Ginny.

Ginny applied the bruise removal cream to James's back and he felt it go to work almost instantly. Once James was fully healed, Ginny took care of Lily.

Once Harry and Ginny were sure that James and Lily were okay, Harry shot Albus a piercing look. His voice stayed calm but his eyes were blazing.

"Albus," said Harry matter of factly, "As punishment for hurting James and Lily, you are grounded and only allowed out of your room for meals."

"For how long?" asked Albus nervously.

"Until you apologize to James and Lily for what you just did to them!" said Harry firmly.

The next day, James's owl suddenly disappeared. This didn't worry James as he assumed his owl wanted to hunt.

However, on the morning of Wednesday, July 8th, 2020 , they received some very sad news that put all that on back burner.

Harry was reading his Daily Prophet and caught a paragraph that contained some very sad news that he knew would be heartbreaking for his children, especially Lily.

On page 2, Harry saw a headline which read:

Hogwarts student loses family, house, in fire.

Harry read the article and said, "James, Albus, Lily, there is something you 3 need to know about. Albus, you are no longer grounded as there are now bigger fish to fry. I warn you this is very sad and it involves 1 of your friends."

James, Albus, and Lily all felt their hearts sink to their feet.

Then they read:

Late Monday night, a massive fire swept through a house in a muggle neighborhood in Surrey. The fire gutted the house, which is a total loss. 3 inhabitants of the house, a muggle couple named Austin and Morgan Baylac, as well as their 8 year old daughter, Courtney, all died. The couple's 12 year old daughter, Stephanie Baylac. escaped, presumably because her magic allowed her a quick getaway. Stephanie was the only Baylac to posses magic. On Tuesday morning Stephanie was placed in a wizarding orphanage in England. However, on Tuesday night, Stephanie was taken in by a family in, of all places, Arizona. All that is known about the family is that they consist of a muggle mother and father with a witch daughter. Apparently, the witch daughter read of Stephanie's fate in Tuesday's Evening Prophet. The daughter asked her parents if they could take Stephanie in so that she wouldn't have to spend the summer in an orphanage. After talking with Stephanie, the orphanage agreed to let the Arizonan family adopt Stephanie.

By the time they had finished reading, Lily was tear stricken while James and Albus were shaking.

"St- Stephanie!" choked up Lily, her voice stuck in her throat, "She's lost everything and everyone!"

"I'm worried about her too," said James, his voice shaking, "Particularly, I'm very uneasy hearing that she not only has left Great Britain, but is all the way in Arizona. And how is this family in Arizona treating her. I'd feel more comfortable if she had been kept in the orphanage. "

"That part about Stephanie being in Arizona is very worrying," agreed Albus, "It sounds to me as though this "witch daughter" took pity on Stephanie but how are the adults in that house treating her?"

"I'm worried about this "witch daughter" too," said Lily shakily, "Maybe she wanted to lure Stephanie into her house when she was weak so that she could do something horrible to her."

"What has to make us so nervous is that there is no reason for Stephanie to be all the way in Arizona," said James.

"That's what is freaking me out so much," said Lily, "The idea of a family, even a mostly muggle family, taking Stephanie in so that she doesn't have to stay in an orphanage would be far more palatable if the family was somewhere closer. I could easily see Devon doing what this "witch daughter" apparently did to help a friend in a tough and tragic time. That Stephanie went all the way to the southwest U.S., that scares me."

"It's terrible that she had to lose her family and her home, especially at such a young age," said James, "And I fear being all the way in Arizona will lead to her losing her life. It's just so odd that someone all the way in Arizona would be interested in taking her in.

"I do fear something sinister here," said Lily worriedly, "I wonder if we could contact her."

At that nanosecond, James's owl suddenly reappeared.

There was a letter addressed to the Potters and it was from Stephanie.


	31. Stephanie Saver

James, Albus, and Lily all leaned close together to read Stephanie's letter. Stephanie had written in scarlet ink upon golden parchment.

Dear James, Albus, and Lily:

Hi. It's Stephanie here. By now you have probably heard about what happened to my family and house on Monday night and that I am currently in Arizona with a mostly muggle family with a witch daughter. I am doing as well as can be hoped for under the circumstances. To be quite candid about it, I found the loss of my home far more devastating than the loss of my family. There are a few reasons for this. 1st of all, my house in Surrey had been my house for literally my whole life from the day of my birth. Apart from this past year away at Hogwarts, I have never lived anywhere else other than my old home in Surrey. To live in the same house all my life and then then - BAM - in 1 night it's suddenly, completely, and permanently gone, well, it's devastating. I feel like a part of me was lost when my house burned down. A part of who I was is now gone forever. 2nd of all, the Baylacs were never a very close knit family to begin and it's just a fact that I'm not the type of person who becomes strongly bonded with other people. This tendency of mine to become no more than loosely attached to other people is really paying dividends for me right now. The fact that the Baylacs were never close knit combined with my own nature of not becoming too attached to other people has limited the grief and sadness I feel for the loss of my family. As it so happens, this "witch daughter" whose idea it was for her family to take me in is a passionate believer in not valuing love and affection and in not becoming too close to other people. It has always been her belief that becoming close with other people is setting 1s self up for grief and sadness and she has always made it a point to never get close to other people. This has never been a "belief" of mine. The fact that I've never been or felt strongly bonded to another person is just naturally the way my life has gone. But, now, being put into the position I've been put in this week and seeing 1st hand how the fact that my family was not close knit is now helping me by keeping my grief and sadness at a lower level, I am now in league with this girl's belief in not becoming attached to other people. 3rd, I am a girl of faith. I believe the loss of my home and family and winding up in Arizona is part of god's plan for me and my life. I believe everything happens for a reason and that I was meant to end up in Arizona with my new family. Furthermore, I have faith that I will see my biological parents and sister again 1 day. This is a point in which the "witch" daughter whose idea it was to take me in and I are in disagreement. This 'witch daughter" is an atheist. This is something I know you Potters know all about with Albus being a fairly religious person and Lily being an atheist. So who is this "witch daughter"? Well the"witch daughter" who saved me from the orphanage is none other than Samantha Saver. That's right, that Samantha Saver. The albino girl who played Keeper for Gryffindor this past year and didn't allow a single goal all season. Samantha knew that having to stay at an orphanage would be a very glum life and she didn't want me to have to live that life. While Samantha has great sympathy for the loss of my home, the thing that upset her the most when she read about what had happened was that I was stuck in an orphanage and she was proactive in seeing that my life was not going to continue that way. I am forever grateful to Samantha for saving me from that damn orphanage. I must also give a lot of credit to Samuel and Sarah for agreeing to take me in. Samantha has been wonderful in helping me through it all. In fact, 1 of the 1st things Samantha told me upon my arrival at the Savers was that if I wanted to be left alone she would leave me alone and if I wanted company she would be there for me. You never really know how you're going to react to tough times. Right now I'm finding I want company and Samantha is proving great at being there for me. It so happened that the Savers had 2 extra bedrooms and 1 of them is now my room. The Savers are going to legally adopt me so Samantha and I are now sisters. That leads me to my next point. The Savers have given me the option of either keeping Baylac as my last name or changing my last name to Saver. For 2 reasons, I have elected to take the last name of Saver. 1st, I am taking the last name of Saver as a show of appreciation for what the Savers have done for me in taking me in and giving me a proper home to live in. Living in an orphanage would be dreadful and the Savers have saved me from that. 2nd, I feel like that keeping the last name of Baylac after being adopted would be akin to hanging on to the past when I need to put my old home and family behind me and get on with my life. I feel that taking on the last name of Saver, the name of my adoptive family, it represents a fresh start and moving on with my life. So, Stephanie Baylac is no more. I am now Stephanie Saver. James, when you call Gryffindor Quidditch matches next year, please make sure to call me Saver rather Baylac when using me last name. Speaking of Quidditch, it is still Samantha's intent to have friends over for the Quidditch United States Cup in August. James and Lily, you can expect our official invitations with instructions on how to get to our house a few days before the semifinals. James, Albus, Lily, I want you all to know that I am doing fairly well and expect to settle into my new life quickly. Samantha and I are both looking forward to seeing all 3 of you at Potter Manor later this month. I am sending letters such as this to all of my friends so they know that I am in a good situation with the Savers. The only really notable house rule Samuel and Sarah have is no yelling at any time. See you later

\- Stephanie Saver.

Once they'd finished reading Stephanie's letter, James, Albus, and Lily all breathed huge sighs of relief.

"So Stephanie is now living with Samantha," said Lily in a soothed voice, "That makes me feel much better."

"How retarded can we be?" said James sheepishly, "It should have been obvious that the "witch daughter" was Samantha. I mean, we know Samantha lives in Arizona. We should have realized that the reason Stephanie wound up in Arizona is because Samantha's family took her in."

"I'm just glad Stephanie is okay and in a good situation," said Lily quietly, "But you're right, we should have been able to put 2 and 2 together here."

""It's probably the best solution Stephanie could have gotten, to be living with Samantha." said James clearly.

"I totally agree with that," said Lily with a smile.

"The Savers sound like decent people," said Albus, "I'm comfortable now that Stephanie will be okay."

"Stephanie seems to be holding up well," said Lily calmly, "And I respect that she's making a real effort to move on with her life instead wallowing in sorrow and pity."

"And I totally agree with her choice to take the name of Saver," said James firmly, "That tells me that Stephanie isn't hanging onto any false dreams or false hopes. She has accepted what has happened to her and her eyes are on the road ahead and not in the rear view mirror."

"Having Samantha help her through things is a big plus," said Lily matter of factly, "Samantha and Stephanie have always gotten on quite well."

"Samantha is a great person," said James sincerely, "There was a time when I saw her as this cocky, arrogant, cold, unloving, unaffectionate girl, But I know now what type of person she is beneath that exterior. On the inside Samantha is an appreciative, generous, and caring girl and only those of us who really know her grasp that."

"Well said, James," said Lily with equal sincerity in her voice, "What Samantha did for Stephanie here is totally consistent with the Samantha those of us who are privileged to be her friend know."

"Well, I look forward to meeting both the Savers girls in a few weeks," said Harry warmly.

As it so happened, the arrival of guests at Potter Manor was to be staggered with the 1st arriving on Monday July 20th and the last arriving on Sunday July 26th. Sunday, August 2nd would be everyone's last day and they would all go home mid afternoon that day.

On Monday, July 20th, at 10 a.m. Potter Manor time, the 1st arrival occurred.


	32. Reconciliation of Harry and Dudley

The 1st guest to arrive at Potter Manor at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 20. 2020 was Devon Dursley.

Devon was accompanied by Dudley, who had requested a meeting with Harry.

"DEVON!" yelled James and Lily as they both ran up and engulfed him in a bone crushing hug.

"Good to you see again James, Lily," said Devon cheerfully.

"It's our pleasure to have you in our home," said James warmly.

"I think you'll love Potter Manor, Devon," said Lily happily.

"I'm sure I will," said Devon confidently.

"Hi, Devon," said Albus politely, coming over to greet him.

"Hello, Albus," said Devon.

"Devon, did you bring a broom?" asked Harry.

"Yes," said Devon simply.

"Good," said Harry, "James, Albus, and Lily will work with you on your Quidditch and flying skills so you can have a shot at that open Chaser position this September. I'd like you all to go out back now. Dudley wishes a 1 on 1 meeting with me."

James, Albus, Devon , and Lily all grabbed their brooms and headed out back while Dudley sat down at the kitchen table.

"Dudley, would you like something to drink?" asked Harry politely.

"Coca Cola Classic," requested Dudley.

Harry went over to the fridge and retrieved 2 bottles of Coca Cola Classic, 1 each for himself and Dudley, and joined Dudley at the kitchen table.

"Harry," said Dudley sincerely, "I want to thank you."

"For what?" asked Harry in a confused voice.

"Harry, you saved my son's life and, indirectly. my life as well. You see, for much of Devon's life he was overweight and I saw no problem with it. Don't misunderstand, my parenting style is not like what Vernon's was. Any acts of bullying towards other kids by Devon would result in severe punishment from me and I have always expected him to do well in school," began Dudley.

"Dudley, were you satisfied with Devon's grades in his 1st year at Hogwarts?"

"Not entirely," admitted Dudley, "But I have to remember that he is a muggleborn wizard who was just getting his 1st taste of magical education so I'm willing to cut him some slack for this past year. My attitude toward education for my son is that I care most about his performance in the most important subjects. In the muggle world that meant English, math, and science. In the magical world, that means Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I was happy that Devon got an O in Charms. But I really would like to see him improve his Defense Against the Dark Arts grade from E to O next year. And since Devon has a powerful wand, I'd like to see his Transfiguration grade improve from A to at least E."

"For a muggle, you have a good sense for what subjects are most important in magic, Dudley," said Harry with a smile.

"Devon has said Lily was the top student in their year, you must be so proud of her, Harry." said Dudley.

"Of course I am," said Harry with a smile, "There is no greater joy than seeing 1s children succeed. Did Devon also tell you about James and Lily tying for 1st place in the Hogwarts Writing Competition?"

"He did," said Dudley brightly, "And it was obvious to me how proud he was of them and how happy he was for them. He also did tell me about James himself becoming a Wandmaking teacher. Devon shares everything with me unless it is clear to him that something is too personal to 1 of his friends for that to be appropriate. Devon is very open and communicative. And if Devon is proud of his friends/2nd cousins, I can't imagine how proud you must be of your son and daughter."

"James, Albus, and Lily are the 3 most important things in my life and there is no greater satisfaction for me than when any of all them succeed in any endeavor," said Harry radiantly.

"Anyways," said Dudley, "Devon was overweight for much of his life and I never saw anything wrong with that. In fact, the only reason I never reverted to my pre adolescent eating habits myself is that I am a professional boxer and must maintain a specific weight for my bouts. In fact, I had long blamed the Smeltings staff and nurse for ruining my adolescence. For this reason, I was quite glad when I learned Devon would be going to Hogwarts rather than Smeltings. Debra, meanwhile, wanted Devon to go to a coed school. Devon attended an all boys elementary school and Debra HATES gender segregation."

"So," said Harry slowly, "If it wasn't for Boxing you would have become just as overweight as Devon?"

"Close to Right in 1," confirmed Dudley quickly, "I missed the days when I could gobble down as many hamburgers, cakes, and chocolates as my heart desired. But I always allowed Devon to eat as much as he wanted regardless of how fat he became."

"Lily told me last Christmas that Devon was noticeably overweight on the day she met him but that he had become much more overweight since starting Hogwarts," explained Harry, "Hogwarts meals are all you can eat to an extent unattainable in any muggle setting."

"Devon has told me, that, apparently, you noticed how overweight Devon was when Lily introduced you to him at King's Cross when you picked your kids up for Christmas break," said Dudley.

"This is true," confirmed Harry, "I was honestly genuinely shocked by how overweight he actually was. I have never a person anywhere close to that overweight in my life."

"I did notice that Devon's weight had significantly increased when he came home for Christmas," said Dudley matter of factly , "Anyone with functioning eyes would have noticed that. But I didn't think much of it because I still saw nothing wrong with it. And then when the calendar turned from 2019 to 2020 there was a sudden change in Devon. He suddenly was eating smaller portions that were much closer to what most people would call normal."

"That caught you by surprise?" asked Harry.

"It did," said Dudley crisply, "Because it was so completely inconsistent with Devon's prior behavior. But on the last weekday of Christmas break, Devon sat down with me and told me all about his conversation with Lily on New Year's Eve. Devon explained to me what Lily had told him about the serious risks his health faced in the future if he didn't lose weight and then keep it off."

"Here's the thing," said Harry clearly, "Along with her cousin Hugo and her eldest brother James, Devon is 1 of the 3 people that Lily is closest with. Knowing what I know about the serious health risks of being significantly overweight and knowing how devastated Lily would be if she had to attend a funeral for Devon before he was 30 for something so preventable, I had to intervene. Furthermore, I saw a kid who needed help and I was going to see that he got it."

"Did you consider approaching Devon yourself?" Dudley asked Harry.

"No," said Harry firmly, "I'd never even spoken to Devon except for a few quick hellos at King's Cross. Trust was a key factor. I knew that Lily was the only 1 who could get through to Devon. It was a mission that required both great tact and complete honesty. Lily is an expert at striking that balance. But it ultimately came down to the fact that Devon trusts Lily above all other people. Because this trust was so prevalent between Lily and Devon, I knew that Lily could get through to Devon and that he would realize she was intervening because she cared about him and not just being a nosy interferer."

"Did Lily ever share the details of the conversation she had with Devon on New Year's Eve with you?" asked Dudley.

"No," said Harry simply, "Lily only told me that she had succeeded in convincing Devon to lose weight and change his eating habits and that she had given him the sheet of weight loss exercises I had provided."

"That's what I thought," responded Dudley, "That's basically all Devon told me about that conversation either. But Devon did make it clear to me that he had to change his lifestyle or take on serious health risks, including heart diease and heart attack. And I realized then that I was lucky that Smeltings hadn't stocked knickerbockers big enough for me anymore and that I was lucky for the nurse's intervention. After Devon's talk with me, I realized that, had I not lost that weight when I did and I not steered away from my own terrible childhood eating habits, I would not have lived long enough to marry Debra or father Devon."

"You also said that I indirectly saved your life, how?" asked Harry curiously.

"I don't know how much longer I'm going to box. I've made more than enough money to be set for several lifetimes. I had had fantasies of returning to my childhood eating habits after I retired. Devon's talk with me about his own situation made me realize that I couldn't do that. So I want to thank you for caring enough about Devon's well being to see to it that he changed his ways. Your concern likely saved both Devon's life and my own," said Dudley briskly.

There were a few minutes of silence while Harry and Dudley sipped from their Coca Cola Classics. Then Harry spoke.

"Dudley, may I ask you a very personal question?" requested Harry.

"Yes," answered Dudley.

"Well," said Harry, "I know that, as a muggle, you can't see dementors, but, you can feel them. Dementors feed on you and force you to relive your worst memories. You know that time we ran into 2 dementors when we were 15? What did you relive?"

"I just myself exactly as I was," said Dudley, "I saw myself for the mean, cruel, selfish, bullying boy that I was at the time. Realizing exactly how bad a person I really was mortified me. That episode with the dementors was a major factor in making me change as a person."

"So you didn't experience any specific memory but a general overview of your own flaws?" asked Harry.

"Yes," said Dudley simply.

"That is the most unusual experience with dementors I have ever heard," mused Harry.

"It was a blessing in disguise," said Dudley firmly, "Because it set me on the pathway to being a better person."

"I'm glad you realize that," said Harry.

"Harry," said Dudley slowly, "I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to you for the way I treated you when we were kids. You had a very difficult childhood anyway, particularly having to grow up without parents, and I did nothing but make it that much worse for you."

"Honestly," said Harry clearly, "I think most of the blame for that lies more with Petunia and Vernon for being bad parents. Most parents would never tolerate the bullying you displayed towards me when were kids."

At the mention of Petunia, Dudley's head had drooped a bit.

"Dudley, are you okay?" asked Harry with concern.

"The mention of Petunia stung," said Dudley sadly, "You see, last September, Petunia died in a fall down the stairs on her way to breakfast. It was tough to lose my mom and Devon was also close with Grandma Petunia. Knowing how devastated Devon would be at Petunia's death made it that much worse than it already was."

Harry thought of how he had felt when Sirius died and what Luna had said about how sad the loss of her mother made her feel.

"Dudley, I'm sorry to hear about your loss," said Harry with empathy, "Losing a parent is the hardest thing a person can endure."

"Vernon disowned the family when he learned about Devon having magic, "said Dudley matter of factly, "And to be honest I wasn't too upset about that. I had already grown quite a bit apart from Vernon anyway. And he was never really very loving. In fact, I can honestly say that my ability to love came from Petunia. Petunia was the 1 who hugged and kissed me and gave me love and affection. Whatever faults Petunia has as a parent or a person, 1 thing I can say for her is that she genuinely loved me and Devon. This genuine love is what made Petunia's death so especially heartbreaking for both me and Devon."

"Lily told me in her letters in September that she was having to help Devon through what she called a "terrible personal tragedy," The loss of his grandma must be what that tragedy was then?" realized Harry.

"Yes," said Dudley in a heartbroken voice, "That was the hardest thing Devon has ever had to go through. The sudden and tragic loss of a close loved 1 is something no 11 year old should have to deal with. I am glad that Lily was respectful enough not to divuldge what Devon's personal tragedy was to you."

"She would have respected that Devon's personal matters are none of my business and that was obviously a very personal thing. Dudley, I give you my word that I will NOT tell Devon that I know about this unless he should happen to tell me," said Harry respectfully.

"Thank you, Harry," said Dudley gratefully.

"Dudley," said Harry warmly, "The past is the past. What went on when we were children is behind us. Your son is extremely close with 2 of my children. I want you to know that anytime you wish to talk to me, you are welcome to write me or to come here."

"Harry, we are family," said Dudley clearly, "You being my cousin makes that way I treated when we were kids that much worse. You are also welcome to write me or visit me at any time."

"Dudley, if you agree to leave the past in the past and that we can be on good terms moving forward, shake my hand," said Harry.

Harry put out his right hand and Dudley shook it with his right hand.

In this moment, Harry and Dudley formally ceased to be enemies. They were cousins with children who very close with each other and they would both be on good terms from here on out.

Dudley then left. Dudley and Debra were going on vacation to Aruba for some 1 on 1 husband-wife time. Devon would be spending this time with his friends/2nd cousins at Potter Manor.


	33. Wandmaking Teaser

Over the next few days the rest of James's, Albus's, and Lily's family and friends who were coming to Potter Manor started arriving.

Tuesday morning brought the arrival of Fred, Roxanne, Hugo, and Rose. On Wednesday morning came Todd, Miles, and Gary. Thursday morning Pamela joined the fray. The last of their guests arrived on Friday with Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley entering the mix.

On Monday, July 27th, 2020, those kids who attended Hogwarts, which was every child and adolescent present except Todd, Gary, and Miles, received their yearly Hogwarts letters. On top of the pile of letters was a short note.

The note read: Make sure James Sirius Potter opens his letter 1st. James's letter will be very different than a normal Hogwarts letter due to the circumstance of James being taught Wandmaking lessons by Olivander this coming year in preparation for becoming the Hogwarts Wandmaking teacher next year. His letter will be very different from most 6th year letters.

James opened his letter and read:

Dear Mr. Potter:

In the case of a typical 6th year, you would meet with your head of house after breakfast on the 1st day of term to discuss which subjects you wished to apply to take at N.E.W.T. level and he or she would inform you of whether you had qualified for each subject you had applied for, occasionally suggesting reasonable alternatives if 1 of your choices was not a viable option. However, your case is unique. Mr. Olivander has mapped out a course schedule for you that emphasizes those core subjects that are used in Wandmaking so that your 6th year N.E.W.T. classes can compliment his private lessons with you. Your O.W.L. results leave mo doubt these subjects would be good choices for you anyway. The courses you will be taking are Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and your private Wandlore and Wandmaking lessons with Mr. Olivander. Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms are the 2 most important subjects in magical education to begin with and Charms happens to be the key core subject that is applicable to Wandmaking. Potions and Transfiguration are also disciplines that come into play in Wandmaking. The Wandlore part of your private class with Olivander is meant to familiarize you with the different types of woods used in Wandmaking and how the combinations of wood, core and length have to come together just right in order to make a good wand. You will also learn which types of wands are best suited to various things. You should also be aware right up front that Mr. Olivander will be a very demanding teacher. No, Mr. Olivander will not yell at you during lessons. But you should be aware that Mr. Olivander does not care about tact or sensitivity and he will be very blunt with you. Furthermore, and it is very important that you understand and accept this from the word go, Mr. Olivander will be looking for any flaws in your performance and will be far more critical than complimentary. For example. if you perform a task 95% correctly, Mr. Olivander will focus on the 5% you got wrong. There are several reasons for this. 1st, and very importantly, is the fact that will be training to become a teacher. Being a quality teacher requires a mastery of the subject that 1 is going to teach and the whole point of Olivander's private lessons with you is to train you to become a Wandmaking teacher. It is also crucial to understand that Wandmaking is a very fiddly discipline. If you think Potions is a tricky subject, well, Potions is a piece of cake compared to Wandmaking. The difficulty and fiddlyness of the subject makes a though mastery of the material critical for a wizard wishing to teach it to others. A final paramount point is that Wandmaking is dangerous. Wandmaking is a dangerous subject in and of itself. Additionally, should Wandmaking be performed incorrectly, it can lead to flawed wands being on the market that have the potential to be dangerous to their owners. It is our hope that you will follow Mr. Olivander's lead in being a very demanding teacher when you are ready to take up the post of Wandmaking teacher at Hogwarts next year. You will be required to demonstrate a mastery of the individual skills involved in the Wandmaking process before you are allowed to actually make a wand. Your Wandlore and Wandmaking classes will occur in the History of Magic classroom on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 11 p.m. Hogwarts time and will be taught by Mr. Olivander. Basically, you and Olivander will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays days in the History of Magic classroom at 11 p.m. Hogwarts time. As far as your more typical subjects, 6th year Transfiguration will be at 9 a.m. Hogwarts time on Monday and Wednesday mornings, 6th year Defense Against the Dark Arts will be at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, 6th year Charms will be at 9 a.m. Hogwarts time on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and 6th year Potions will be at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Remember that mandatory library time will be held on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon will an additional optional hour alavailble before that and another additional optional hour available after lunch. You are still Quidditch commentator and we know how great a job you do with that. Great luck Mr. Potter. Hogwarts is pulling for and so is the Wizarding World.

Sincerely.

Hogwarts Headmistress. Minerva McGonagall.

"Hmm," said Devon uncertainly, "I wonder why Potions would be an important subject for Wandmakers. That doesn't make any sense, Potions is wandless magic."

"My guess," piped up Ainsley with a smile, "Is that during certain parts of the Wandmaking process, wands or parts thereof must be stored in or treated with potions to achive a certain texture, tempuarture, temperament, or consisentcy."

"I bet you're right, Ainsley, " said James suddenly, "It makes all the sense in the world that wands would be treated with potions to achieve certain characteristics."

"Always trust Ainsley's brain," said Lily with a smile.

"Charms is the obvious 1," supplied Samantha, "It's easy to imagine what some of the Charms needed might be."

"Agreed," said Lily, "Especially Severing Charms and Attaching Charms."

"Defense Against the Dark Arts is more uncertain," said Fred, "But it's such an important subject in and of itself."

"From his letter, I get the impression that that is why James has to take Defense Against the dark Arts and that it may not have much to do with Wandmaking," said Roxanne reasonably.

"That could go either way," said Rose simply.

"Transfiguration makes sense intuitively," said Stephanie briskly, "But it's hard to explain."

"It's almost surreal that James is going to be taught by Olivander himself," said Pamela with awe in her voice. This was the 1st she had heard about James becoming a Wandmaking teacher or about Olivander working with him 1 on 1. It felt surreal to her.

"Of course," said Albus with obvious bitterness in his voice, "Everything always happens to Lily and/or James and never ever happens to me. Figures."

"Albus," Pamela told her close friend firmly, "You should be happy for your brother. Let me warn you: Petty jealousy is a great vehicle for ruining relationships. Don't let that happen between you and your siblings because you really do have great siblings."

"Well said, Pamela," said Miles firmly, "I have no magical powers myself, but I couldn't be happier for Devon that he has a place in the magical community."

"Hear hear," agreed Gary and Todd.

"Follow Lily's lead," Hugo encouraged Albus, "Be happy for James's success and opportunity."

"Easy for her to be happy for him when so much happens for her too," spat Albus unhappily, "NOTHING EVER HAPPENS FOR ME!"

"James?" asked Roxanne, "Are you comfortable with being subjected to the level of criticism your letter implies you will be facing?"

"Absolutely," said James calmly, "It is quite necessary in a subject such as Wandmaking."

"James has never had a sensitivity problem," said Lily matter of factly, "In fact, he's always believed in honesty, matter of factness, and straight forwardness over tact and sensitivity at all times and in all circumstances."

"That should serve him well going forward," said Hugo simply.

"James will be a great Wandmaking student and then he will become a great Wandmaking teacher," said Lily confidently, "I couldn't be prouder of him."

"If only something would happen for me," interjected Albus.

But for the next 3 minutes and 3 nanoseconds, Devon, Hugo Fred, Roxanne, Rose, Pamela, Stephanie, Samantha, Ainsley, Harry, Ginny,and even the 3 muggles, Todd, Gary, and Miles were looking at James in awe. There was a sense of bigness radiating from James, but in a positive way

As for James himself, he felt more curious than anything else. That day when he would begin learning about Wandlore and Wandmaking couldn't come soon enough.


	34. Earliest Career Ideas

A few minutes after James had read his letter, a tawny owl swooped down upon them. The tawny owl was carrying a stack of books. There were 10 of these books and they all appeared to be identical.

"OH!" remembered Lily suddenly, "Remember those books on magical careers we were supposed to get with our Hogwarts letters this year?"

"Yes," said Hugo as his eyes widened, "Wizarding Work: An Exploration of Magical Careers and Occupations."

The owl made a pathway around them and dropped 1 copy of Wizarding Work: An Exploration of Magical Careers and Occupations into the hands of everyone who should receive 1.

This included, by policy, all students who would be 2nd years at Hogwarts. This meant Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all were automatically placed on the list to receive 1.

Students would be in later years had been given the opportunity to request a copy of the book if they wanted to.

Albus, Rose, and Pamela had all requested a copy of the book. As students who would be 4th years, they were all in agreement that it would be beneficial to them to learn more about career opportunities for witches and wizards a year ahead of their career advice.

James, of course, had no need for or interest in the book as his career path had already developed. Fred also knew what he wanted to do and so did not get a copy of the book for himself.

Roxanne were unsure what careers might interest her so she went ahead and requested a copy of the book.

The book had a green cover with a picture of a 10 inch wand and a milky white potion bottle and the letters of the title and subtitle were a bright silver.

This did not sit well with Albus.

"Green with silver lettering!" said Albus scornfully, "They should have made it a scarlet cover with gold lettering."

"Actually, it's only fair and only fitting that these books should be Slytherin colors," said James and there a definite note of pride in his voice, "I'm sure Lily knows why that is."

Lily smiled at James.

"Yes," said Lily warmly, "Remember that the idea for us receiving these books was Megan's idea."

"Exactly!" agreed Fred, "With that being as it is, isn't it only fair that her house colors are used on the book?"

"Yes!" chorused James, Hugo, Devon, Fred, and Lily.

Albus scowled but had no retort. It was impossible to argue that Megan didn't deserve to have her house colors on a book whose creation was her idea.

"Miles, Gary, Todd, could you 3 please be quiet as I talk to the Hogwarts lot about their earliest career ideas?"

Miles, Todd, and Gary all nodded. They understood that as muggles who were guests in a magical household, there would be times when Harry would want or need to address the others about wizard issues.

Harry, meanwhile, asked addressed the Hogwarts students.

"Hogwarts attendees, do any of you have any ideas yet of what career or type of career you'd like to pursue. I already know that James is going to be studying this year to be a Wandmaking teacher. Does anyone else have any thoughts on his or her future?"

"As a muggleborn who is just getting my feet wet in the Wizarding World, I'm not very familiar with magical careers," said Devon honestly.

"You're exactly the type of person this book is meant to help," Lily told Devon with a smile, "Remember that McGonagall said that Megan was specifically thinking of muggleborn and muggle raised students when she had the idea for this book."

"I'm confident this book will be very helpful," said Devon kindly, "Many people in my type of position may ending up being very grateful to Megan."

"Even some of us who have grown up in Wizarding households will benefit," said Roxanne quietly, "I don't really have any ideas what path I'd like to go down and I think this book may help steer me somewhere. What about you, Fred?"

"I'm going to carry on George's legacy and work at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." said Fred simply.

"My preferred occupation would be in fashion," said Pamela eagerly, "I'd love to become a clothing maker for Madam Malkin."

"It would be nice if magical apparel had more variety," said Devon matter of factly.

"That's definitely something I'd bring to the table in fashion," said Pamela cheerfully.

"I'd like to somehow be involved in education," said Rose matter of factly, "I don't know specifically what I'd prefer to do. It could be writing textbooks, it could be teaching, it could be helping in setting course curriculum, it could be grading O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. But I do know that education is the field I want to be in. I don't know what occupation I'd like to have but I know education is the field for me."

"Considering how great of a student Rose is and how highly she values academics, this isn't 1 iota surprising ," said Hugo simply.

"Rose has always been not only top of year, but an overachiever," said Pamela proudly, "Straight Os on every subject and with extra credit over 400% in Charms and Potions."

"Again something's always great about someone else and not me," said Albus ruefully.

Pamela frowned. She was seriously concerned that Albus's petty jealousy tendency was going to lead him down a very bad road. Devon had the same concern.

"I want to do something where I can be noticed," said Albus fiercely, "It sucks that things always happen for James and Lily but never for me. I ought have something extraordinary happen to me. And even in ordinary settings, Rose is a teacher's pet. No one ever notices me. Nothing ever happens for me. I've GOT to find an opportunity that can change that. Someone's gotta notice ME sometime. Something big oughta happen for ME. Maybe the right career path could provide such an opportunity."

More frowns from Pamela and Devon followed this declaration. By now James, Harry, Ginny, and Lily were getting nervous as well.

"I know exactly what I want to do," said Hugo confidently, "I want to be a Potion Maker!"

"I know Potions is your favorite subject and that you are excellent at Potions but is there any particular reason you want to be a professional Potion Maker?" asked Lily.

"Yes," said Hugo clearly, "Potions are very important in medicine and healing. I'd like to have a job where I can do something I enjoy and help people at the same time. I've always enjoyed making Potions. Because Potions is wandless magic, young witches and wizards can practice Potions before they get their wands. Hermione 1st started teaching me Potions when I was 5. And think of how much Potions do to help people. Some obvious examples are Blood Replenishing Potions and Scar Removal Potions. Then you also have things like Calming Potions and Dreamless Sleep Potions that help people in their own way."

"So it's the best of both worlds," said Lily pleasantly, "You'd be doing something you enjoy and you'd be doing something important that helps people at the same time."

"Exactly,"' smiled Hugo.

"Hugo?' asked Rose, "Are there any particular Potions you would refuse to make?"

'Well," said Hugo, "I wouldn't refuse to make a potion because it was dangerous. I mean, Veritasiurium is the most dangerous potion that exists but it is also invaluable and sometimes necessary in legal proceedings. However, there is 1 particular potion that I would indeed refuse to make because of my moral objection to it."

"What might that potion be?" asked Lily curiously.

"The Pregnancy Potion," said Hugo clearly, "I strongly object to Pregnancy Potions."

"HEY!" shouted an obviously offended Pamela Patil, "That's a slap in the face to me. I was made through a Pregnancy Potion."

"I am aware of this," said Hugo calmly, "I remember you explaining some of us 2 summers ago that you are the product of a Pergnancy Potion."

"It is my understanding," said Harry, "That Parvati Patil always preffered singlehood over marriage but that she also really wanted to be a mother and raise a child."

"Correct," confirmed Pamela, "The Pregnancy Potion was the solution to this problem and here I am. Parvati is a great mother and the fact that she used a Pregnancy Potion to create me does not make her any less of a great mother. She loves me, she cares for me, she provides for me. She's always there for me when I need her."

"It's not for anyone but you to judge that, Pamela, " said Albus firmly, "Though I have to admit that ever since I learned about you being the baby of a Pregnancy Potion I have sympathized with you having grown up without a father."

"I totally agree with you there Albus," said Lily clearly, "All children deserve to grow up with 2 loving parents. It's not my place to judge Parvati's parenting but I do think she made a bad decision in conceiving a baby without a father."

"This is EXACTLY I why I morally object to Pregnancy Potions," said Hugo fiercely, "However great a parent Parvati may be, she put Pamela in the position of growing up without a complete family environment by using a Pregnancy Potion."

"Don't pity me," said Pamela more calmly, "I'm lucky that Parvati is such a loving mother. I'd rather have 1 loving parent than 2 tough or abusive parents. It all came down to the Pregnancy Potion being the solution to a dilemma."

The others fell silent but everyone in the Potter-Weasley clan felt bad about Pamela not having a father. Of course, none of them judged Pamela. It wasn't her choice how she was conceived. But all Potters and Weasleys despised Pregnancy Potions.

"As for me," said Ainsley with conviction, "Amy is a Healer and I want to be a Healer too. The idea of following in Amy's footsteps has great appeal to me and I've seen 1st hand how important the occupation of Healer is. Healers have the very important task of curing the ill, healing the injured, and comforting the patients in their care. Amy is superb at all 3."

"Yes she is," said Hugo warmly, "Healer Cochlain was very helpful to me when I got Sapavetius. She was the 1 to diagnose me correctly and her friendly attitude made that process easier. And she was totally honest with me about what I was going to have to endure before Devon performed the healing procedure with his yew wand."

"It's knowing the role Healers have in helping the sick and injured that motivates me to wish to follow in Amy's footsteps." said Ainsley proudly.

"It's good to see Hugo and Ainsley interested in jobs where they can help people," said Harry firmly, "It shows what kind of people they are."

"I want to play Beater for the Ballycastle Bats. " said Stephanie with excitement in her eyes, "I love Quidditch and there would be nothing that could make me happier than to be play Beater as a Bat."

"I love Quidditch," said Lily happily, "And it would be cool if 1 of my friends became a pro Quidditch player. But why the Ballycastle Bats?"

"Because they are a winning franchise and I want to play for a storied franchise that does a lot of winning," answered Stephanie.

"At present time, I'd like to play Professional Quidditch as well, " said Samantha smugly, "After all, I'm an all time great Keeper. But you know what? It is possible that what I really want to do hasn't occurred to me yet or that I will develop an interest in later years that will make me interested in an occupation that I wouldn't think of now."

"Being open minded is a good thing," said Devon approvingly, "Honestly, I'm not entire sure 12-14 olds should be having this discussion.'"

"You're too young to make career choices but not too young to think about them," said Harry crisply, "This is just an early discussion and nothing more. No one is bound by what they say here. I just think it a good idea for you all to be thinking about these things."

"That's not a bad thing as long as we keep in perspective that it's an early discussion," agreed Samantha.

"I don't know yet what I would like to do specifically," said Lily matter of factly, "But I do know that I want to be in an occupation where I can help people and have a positive impact on the world and on people."

That was the Lily they all knew. Lily was the kindest and most caring person any of them knew.

It surprised no one present that Lily's goal was to go down a path where she could help people and have a positive impact on people's lives. The Lily they all knew would want to take exactly that road and they were all certain that she would 1 day have a job that focused on helping people.

Lily was confident that such a road was out there for her. It would be a matter of finding where that road was. Nothing would give Lily more satisfaction than to lead a life of helping people and she knew she would 1 day be able to find a career where she would be able to do just that.


	35. Helping and Planning

On Wednesday, July 29th 2020, at 10 a.m. , James requested Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily come into his room.

James's room gave off a distinct impression of boldness. His walls were painted a vivid shade of Gryffindor scarlet. His bed sheets and pillowcase were this same shade of vivid Gryffindor scarlet. He had a large mahogany desk on top of which sat a large digital clock with vivid gold numbers as well as a wand polishing kit and a a currently empty wand holster. Like all witches and wizards, James kept his wand on his person at all times except while sleeping. James also had a large plastic candy jar on top of his desk. (Harry and Ginny did not allow glass in Potter Manor and especially not in the rooms of children and teenagers.) Several packs of original, orchard, darkside, and tropical skittles were visible at the top of the jar. James's favorite skittles were the darkside variety. His walls were covered with posters of his favorite Quidditch teams, the Ballycastle Bats and the current Hogwarts Gryffindor team. He also had posters of witches and wizards holding and using their wands. His bookcases were filled with books about Wandlore and Quidditch.

"Hey, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily?" asked James kindly.

"Yes?" chorused Devon, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, Ainsley, and Lily.

"I know that 2nd years are going to be allowed to go on Hogsmeade visits this year," said James clearly, "I'd like to give you lot some advice. My advice is that, because there are 6 of you, you should plan your 1st Hogsmeade visit ahead of time so that there will be no arguments between you when the day comes about where you want to go or what you want to do in Hogsmeade that day."

"That makes a lot of sense,'" agreed Ainsley, "But if you're joining us wouldn't that make 7."

"By number," said James, "But as I've already made many Hogsmeade visits myself and I'll be joining 6 people who have all never been, I think it only fair to leave the sections to those who are having their 1st opportunity to visit Hogsmeade."

"In that sense make it 5," said Lily kindly, "I'll let the others make the choices."

"Still," said James clearly, I think anytime you have a group larger than 3 it's best to make the plans beforehand."

"There is something I wish to speak with James about 1 on 1," said Lily matter of factly, "Why don't the rest of you go to Hugo's room and start discussing your Hogsmeade plans and then come to my room when you are done. James and I will meet you all there."

They all nodded and Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie. and Samantha all left for Hugo's room, though not before Ainsley had reached into James's candy jar and helped herself to a bag of tropical skittles. Ainsley loved all tropical candies and was a huge smoothie fan as well.

Lily closed the door to James's room and locked it.

"Lily, what's on your mind?" asked James as they both sat down opposite each other on James's bed.

"James, look, I know no one likes an interfering sibling. I don't wish to be that. But there is something I'd like to bring to your attention." said Lily calmly.

"Lily, I know you have my best interests at heart and I trust you,' said James fiercely, "Tell me what you feel needs to be said. And always remember that honestly is always more important than tact."

"Here's the issue," said Lily in a crisp and crystal clear voice, "I am concerned that you are the early stages of developing gambling addiction."

James said nothing so Lily continued.

"I know that you have been betting on every Hogwarts Quidditch match since you were a 1st year. Every Christmas and every summer you'd come home with all the extra money you had from winning those bets. But here's the thing, I don't know how many bets you made in your 1st 4 years at Hogwarts or how frequent they were. But I noticed this past year that once you made your 1st bet on a specific match, you were quick to make many more."

"That part is a more recent phenomenon," explained James, "Yes, it is true that I have bet on every Hogwarts Quidditch match since I've been a student at the school. But in my 1st 2 years, I would only make a bet or 2 on each match. In those days making friendly bets with other Hogwarts students on the school's Quidditch matches was just a little thing to have fun with. Come years 3 and 4, it became more than just a little fun thing. I found I started to enjoy the "thrill" of betting, if you will and the number of bets I made increased over what it had been in years 1 and 2. This past year there was something different about it. As the"thrill" of betting became more prevalent, I found that after I made the 1st bet, I had an "itch" to experience the thrill of the bet again and that this"itch" couldn't be cured unless and until I made another bet. After that bet, this"itch" for the "thrill" would return and so I'd soon make yet another bet. This pattern would continue until the day of the match. For this reason the number of bets I made this past school year increased exponentially from ANY previous year."

"This information confirms my suspicions. James I have concerns about you developing a gambling problem. You are already in the early stages of 1," said Lily seriously.

"But-" began James in a confused voice, "You know that I have plenty of money and can afford to gamble. Furthermore, my Quidditch knowledge will lead me to win most of these bets. And don't worry, I'm not taking advantage of my fellow students. I will only make bets involving large amounts of money with other wealthy students who I know won't be much hurt by losing money on lost bets."

"James," said Lily fairly, " I know you would never take advantage of another person and I know you have the money to make numerous bets. Neither of those things are my concern here. You see, tobacco, drugs, and alcohol are not the only things that can be addictive. You well being is my concern. May I ask how happy you actually were during those time periods?"

"Not very," admitted James, "During those time periods I was only happy while I was actually making the bets and the few minutes after. Otherwise I was consumed by the"itch" and that actually made me quite unhappy. It was a relief to me when the Quidditch season ended. I loved being commentator for your matches, for all matches really, so game days were still fun and I also enjoyed spending time with Hugo and Devon during your practices but I was unhappy a good part of the time because of that"itch."

"Did you ever feel this"itch" after Quidditch season ended?" Lily asked James, "And after each match ended did you ever strongly yearn for the next match to quickly approach?"

"No," said James matter of factly, "Because once any match was over and the bets settled the itch went away until we got close to the next match. In fact the"itch" only came into being AFTER making my 1st bet on each match."

"That is where we've caught the problem early enough," said Lily seriously, "What you have to do now is simple. Give up betting altogether. That should be easy for you because you won't really have a need to make any bets so long as you don't make the 1st 1. You can break the cycle by not making the 1st bet to begin with."

James looked Lily eye to eye.

"You know something, Lily," said James slowly "I didn't even realize how unhappy my betting habit was making me. This past year I became so consumed by it that I didn't even realize what it was doing to me."

"I suspected this was the case," said Lily, "I noticed that the week leading up to a Quidditch match this past school year you weren't yourself and seemed miserable. This didn't make any sense to me on the surface as I know how much you love Quidditch and how much you love being commentator. This was especially true in the weeks leading up to Gryffindor matches as I was sure you'd be looking forward to calling my matches. But I also noticed how much you were betting and how frequently in those weeks and I've put 2 and 2 together."

"Thank you for coming to me about this issue, Lily," said James gratefully, "Besides, Hogwarts teachers are forbidden from gambling anyways so this coming school year is the last year I'd have been allowed to bet anyway. Still, I'll have a better school year in 2020-2021 because you came to me."

James and Lily exchanged a quick hug.

Meanwhile, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha had gathered in Hugo's room. Because Hugo was such a frequent visitor at Potter Manor, he had his own designated room, though it was pretty plain.

"So," said Hugo, "The 5 of us need decide on a plan for our 1st Hogsmeade visit."

Predictably, Devon wanted the 1st say.

"Honyedukes is a must!" said Devon eagerly, "Did you guys read the Daily Prophet on July 15th?"

"Ohhhh!" remembered Ainsley suddenly, "Honeydukes is introducing some new sweets this year and although the precise date is unknown as of now, these new sweets will be sold for the 1st time on the day of the 1st Hogwarts student Hogsmeade visit of the school year!"

"That's so cool," beamed Samantha, "We'll be amongst the very 1st people to taste the new sweets!"

"James will love that!" grinned Hugo.

"I really appreciate James excusing himself from the selection process," said Stephanie respectfully, "He clearly realizes what a big thing that 1st Hogsmeade visit is for everyone. I don't know why Lily excused herself from the selection process though as it'll be her 1st visit."

"Because that's Lily," said Hugo proudly, "She genuinely cares more about others than herself and she wants to make sure the other 1st timers all have enough time on their 1st visits to go where they want."

"Where do you wish to visit, Hugo?" asked Devon.

"My must visit is the 3 Broomsticks," said Hugo excitedly, "I can't wait to try butterbeer."

"Well," said Ainsley radiantly , "I definitely want visiting Zonko's joke shop to be part of our itinerary."

"Being the prankster you are, that's no surprise, Ainsley," smirked Devon.

"And like Honeydukes, Zonko's is going to introduce new products on the 1st Hogwarts student Hogsmeade visit of the year. I can't wait to see what they've come up with!" piped up Ainsley.

"As a Quidditch lover," said Stephanie. "I've gotta visit Spintwitches Sporting Needs."

"Let's be daring," said Samantha boldly, "Let's include a trip to the Shrieking Shack."

Hugo, Devon. Ainsley, and Stephanie all nodded their heads in fierce approval.

"We Gryffindors are not fraidy cats," said Ainsley, puffing out her chest.

"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!" exclaimed Devon.

"We are bold and daring and adventurous, Gryffindors love adventure!" said Stephanie.

As it so happened James and Lily went into Lily's room and were followed a half minute later by Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie. and Samantha.

Lily's room at Potter Manor was pretty indistinguishable from her room at Hogwarts. Her walls were painted hot pink and her bed sheets and pillowcase were also hot pink. The walls were adorned with the portraits of her family and friends that Hugo, Devon, and James had made for her last Christmas. Lily would forever transfer these portraits to her room wherever she was staying be it at home, Hogwarts, or elsewhere.

Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha all explained their Hogsmeade plans to James and Lily, who both gave them 2 thumbs up.

"Honeydukes new sweets will be awesome!" said James eagerly.

"All of Hogsmeade will be awesome, " said Lily brightly.


	36. Samantha's Love of Arizona Sports

On the morning of Friday, November 6th, 2020, Lily

On Friday, August 14th 2020, James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley and Lily arrived at the Savers house via portkeys Samantha had given them before they'd left Potter Manor.

They landed smack dab in the middle of Samantha's room. Samantha was sitting on her bed with her new sister, Stephanie.

Samantha's bedsheets and pillowcase were a vivid shade of Arizona Cardinals red.

On the south wall of Samantha's room were several pennants representing various NFL teams. Samantha's desk was towards the north part of her room just below her curtains and atop the west end of her desk was a clock with very large red numbers, good for seeing while lying in bed. At the east end of desk sat her Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone and her Kindle Paperwhite.

On a west wall was a sheet of paper listing her favorite quotes. Amongst these were.

"It is not our abilities that show what we truly, it is our choices." - Albus Dumbledore.

"Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." - John R Wooden.

"I thought you'd value yer friend more n rats." - Rubeus Hagrid.

But what caught their attention the most were 2 pictures on the wall above her desk.

These 2 pictures were both time stamped with Sunday, September 16th, 2007 at 4:07 p.m. AZ time.

1 of the pictures showed a newborn baby girl being held by a woman who was presumably her mother. The other showed a man wearing an Arizona Cardinals shirt and hat jumping up and down as a football was splitting 2 uprights.

"I have a super cool Arizona Cardinals connection," said Samantha joyously, "You see on Sunday, September 16, 2007 at 4:07 p.m. AZ time, Sarah was giving birth to me at a local hospital while at that same minute Samuel was jumping up and down in his seat at University of Phoenix Stadium celebrating Neil Rackers last second game winning 42 yard field goal that gave our beloved Arizona Cardinals a 23-20 win over the rival Seahawks. Also Samuel and Sarah had already purchased Cardinals season tickets for me before I was even born! I can't remember ever not going to Cardinals games. Samuel, Sarah, and me in our same seats every home game. That true story of Sarah giving birth to me at a local hospital while Samuel was celebrating a big Cardinals win at University of Phoenix Stadium that very same minute is super cool and gives me a super cool Arizona Cardinals connection!"

"That's an awesome story, Samantha, " said Lily in amazement.

"It might be the coolest story I've ever heard," agreed Ainsley in awe.

"Samantha has been teaching me NFL history since the Savers adopted me," explained Stephanie, "Apparently the Cardinals finished that season 8-8 but the next season the Cardinals would win their 1st ever NFC Championship."

"But the Cardinals have never won the Super Bowl. Here we are heading into the season of Super Bowl 55 and the Cardinals still don't have a Lombardi Trophy." said Samantha in a depressed voice.

"Don't give up," said Stephanie.

"BTW," said Samantha clearly, "Remember the number 1 rule of being at my house?"

"No yelling," chorused James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley and Lily.

"The fact that Samuel and Sarah understand that yelling is evil and inhumane is 1 of the things that has made them good parents to me and now Stephanie." said Samantha approvingly.

There was a slight pause and Samantha pointed to 1 of her closets, 4 sleeping bags were visible on the floor.

"Do you remember me explaining to you what your sleeping arrangements would be if you came here?" Samantha asked Ainsley and Lily nervously.

"Yes," said Lily clearly, "We will be sleeping outside in sleeping bags."

Ainsley nodded in understanding.

"James, I'll give you this room while you're here." said Samantha kindly.

"Hugo, I'll give you my room while you are here," said Stephanie warmly.

"Devon, you'll be staying in our extra room," said Samantha cheerfully, "Stephanie and I agree that it is okay if we, Ainsley, and Lily have to suffer some inconveniences while we're all here but we want to make sure James, Hugo, and Devon are comfortable and cared for."

Stephanie nodded.

"Let's go to my room," said Stephanie proddingly, "And Hugo can see where he's sleeping."

So Devon, Hugo, James. Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily all followed Stephanie into her room.

Stephanie's room itself was slightly than Samantha's as her bedsheets, and pillowcase were all a simple white color and she had a smaller clock than Samantha on her desk. Because Stephanie loved to draw, there were opened packs of markers and colored pencils on her desk along with a large stack of paper.

On her walls were loads of pictures she'd drawn herself.

AMONGST these were a beautiful deception of a desert sun, a flawless drawing of Hogwarts Castle, a spooky sketch of a Jack O Lantern, a perfect illustration of herself chasing after a bludger with her beater's bat, and wonderful picture of Larry Fitzgerald making an amazing diving catch.

"Devon," said Samantha uncomfortably, "Let us show you to the room you will be staying in. Fair warning, it will not be as nice as Samantha's and my rooms as it is not regularly used."

Devon was not happy to hear this and grunted.

"Let me give me give it a fair look before I say anything." said Devon unoptimistically.

They all made for the unused room.

This unused room was pretty plain with nothing on the walls and nothing in the room but a bed.

"How did you and Stephanie determine who was going to get which room between James, Hugo and myself?' asked Devon curiously, not sounding happy at all.

"Random draw," explained Samantha, "We put all 3 of your names in a hat and drew for rooms. We drew for my room 1st and James's name came out of the hat. Then we drew for Stephanie's room and Hugo's name came out of the hat. That left you to get the unused room."

"So I got the short of the stick in the drawing," said Devon tonelessly with a less than happy expression on his face. Devon seemed a bit resentful at James and Hugo getting it better than him.

The Saver sisters exchanged nervous glances. They had anticipated that James, Hugo, and Devon would all be cool about the results of the draw regardless of who got "stuck" with the unused room, especially since others would sleeping outside in sleeping bags.

Fortunately for the Saver girls, Hugo took control of the situation.

"Devon, you can have Stephanie's room while we're here. I can sleep here." said Hugo matter of factly.

"Thank you, Hugo," said Devon in a relived voice, "I appreciate you letting me have Stephanie's room."

"Remember, I have my own room at Potter Manor and it's pretty plain," said Hugo crisply, "I'm used to sleeping/staying in a plainer room."

"We'll have to remember that for future reference," said Samantha wryly,

"I'm in a really good spot," said Hugo firmly, "I'm 1 of only 3 out 7 of us to be sleeping in a real bed these next few days."

"In that case," said Samantha clearly, "This can always be your room when we all gather here. James can always stay in my room and Devon can always stay in Stephanie's room."

"Excellent," chorused James, Devon,, and Hugo.

That evening at 5 p.m. the septet arrived at University of Phoenix stadium.

The 1st semifinal featured Texas VS California.

The interesting thing about the Texas-California match was that the dominant players wound up being the Beaters, a rarity in Quidditch and something Stephanie really appreciated seeing.

The score was 10-10 for a long time as the Beaters didn't merely aim to keep the Bludgers away from their own teams, but actually directed them towards opposing Chasers who had the Quaffle in the hopes of either knocking the Quaffle loose or distracting the Chasers so they would make mistakes. These things happened over and over and over again until, 3 hours into the match, the California Seeker caught the snitch for a 160-10 California win.

The 2nd semifinal featured Arizona VS Pennsylvania.

This matchup was personal for Samantha. She knew it was the Pittsburgh Steelers who had denied the Cardinals the ultimate prize in Super Bowl 43. Both Samnatha and her fellow Arizonan and albino, Michael in Arizona, were in full agreement the Cardinals losing Super Bowl 43 was a MUCH worse tragedy than the World Trade Center collapse. As such, there was nothing she wanted more than to see Arizona whip Pennsylvania's ass. And they did.

The Arizona Chasers, a small and short woman with very light brown hair and a deep tan named Jennifer Branch, a tall black haired man with a long black mustache named Fred Smerlas, and an average sized average heighted woman named Heather Alworth, would mange to score 9 goals, 3 apiece, despite their Seeker, a tall man with a mustache named Randy Wilson catching the snitch in only 3 minutes, resulting in a 240-0 shutout for Arizona.

The next night the septet returned to University of Phoenix Stadium and took the Cardinals preseason opener VS the Oakland Raiders. Samantha wore her favorite Arizona Cardinals shirt to the game but it didn't bring her team any luck as the Raiders trounced the Cardinals 31-10 :(

The final match featured Arizona vs California and was played at 1 p .m. AZ time.

Arizona and California had always been sports rivals with the Dodgers-Diamondbacks rivalry being especially intense.

The stakes in the finals of the Quidditch United States Cup were enormous. The team that won would not only receive gold medals but would also represent the United States in the 2022 Quidditch World Cup.

There turned out not to be much to see and a lot to see at the same time.

Randy had his eyes completely focused on the snitch at the nanosecond of its release and quickly tracked it to the north end zone. Not only did Randy catch the snitch in under a minute, but he made history by catching it underhand.

"YES!" exclaimed Samantha!, "ARIZONA IS THE THE QUIDDICTH UNITED STATES CHAMPION! YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT!"

Samantha was jumping up and down in her seat, all sanity forgotten, clapping her hands as hard she could and stomping her feet.

Samantha then mindlessly Hi 5ed James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily multiple times in no particular order or rhythm.

"Congratulations, Samantha," beamed Lily, who couldn't have been happier for her friend's joy.

"You know," said Samantha thoughtfully, "The state of Arizona hasn't had a muggle pro sports championship since the Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series, well, the Arizona Rattlers have won a few but few people care about Arena Football. For it to be almost 2 decades since the Diamondbacks won a World Series, to have never had a pro Hockey or pro Basketball championship in Arizona though we came close to the latter in 1993 before John Paxson broke our hearts, and most painfully, the Cardinals having never won the Super Bowl. Things haven't been great for us in the muggle sports world. But for we witches and wizards with Arizona ties, this is.."

"Profoundly special," supplied Stephanie, 1 of the newest Arizonan witches.

"That's exactly it, sis." said Samantha emotionally. As the elevation of the moment faded, the meaningfulness of the triumph started to set in. Samantha and Stephanie were now both in tears, the emotional kind.

James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, and Lily were quiet for a few minutes to allow the Saver girls time and space to feel the genuine emotion of the day.

For Stephanie but especially for Samantha, this was a day of triumph that would never be forgotten. Their muggle sports may still be long suffering but no one could take away that Arizona was Quidditch United States Champion and would represent team USA at the 2022 Quidditch World Cup.


	37. James's 1st Wandlore Lesson Part 1

On the night of Monday, August 31st, 2020, at 8 p.m. Hogwarts time, James returned to Hogwarts early via an empty green M&Ms mint bag portkey and quickly got himself situated in his room.

James began his private Wandlore/Wandmaking lessons with Olivander that night at 11 p.m..

James and Olivander had agreed to have James's Wandlore and Wandmaking lessons in the History of Magic classroom at 11 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and Olivander decided it best for James to have both days his 1st week so he made arrangements with Harry and with Hogwarts to allow James to arrive at Hogwarts on the night of August 31st.

James went into the History of Magic classroom at 11 p.m. as planned and found Mr. Olivander sitting at a desk. James sat down at the desk opposite him.

There was an almost mythical silence in the room as James and Olivander faced each other.

The subjects of Wandlore and Wandmaking naturally gave off a kind of aura about them.

And for James, being in the presence of the greatest Wandmaker of all time was surreal. James couldn't help but feel almost in awe of Olivander. It was the equivalent of someone from Harry's generation finding himself or herself in the presence of Albus Dumbledore. After all, Olivander was as much legend as he was man and it was impossible not to feel that mystic and aura around him.

Olivander, however, wasn't here to talk about himself. He was here to teach and mentor James Sirius Potter in Wandlore and Wandmaking. Olivander knew that James, like any potential pupil he might have, was likely to be in awe of him. He felt the best way to help James overcome this natural awe and develop a student-teacher relationship with him was to not draw attention to himself or the topic of himself.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter," said Olivander in a completely normal voice.

"Good evening, Mr. Olivander," responded James nervously, "What are you going to start me with?"

Getting right down to the business of the evening, Olivander said clearly, "Mr. Potter, we are not going to get into any actual Wandmaking yet. Before we can even think about going there, I must educate you in Wandlore. Wandlore MUST ALWAYS come before Wandmaking. That's because it is extremely important for Wandmakers to fully understand and appreciate the things they are working with."

James quietly nodded in understanding, knowing that Olivander was right on the money on this 1.

"Working with things you don't understand is dangerous, especially where magical things are concerned,." said James wisely.

"The very 1st thing we need to discuss is cores," said Olivander matter of factly, "The core is the most important part of a wand. Can you guess why?"

"Because," answered James confidently, "The core is what gives a wand its magic."

"Very good Mr. Potter," said Olivander approvingly, "Without its magical core, a wand would just be a stick of wood. The magical core is what allows witches and wizards to channel their magic through wands. The key point is that witches and wizards have the ability to channel their magic through wands because wands are themselves magical."

"That makes sense," replied James, "But is there a significance to the different types of cores?"

"Ahhh.." said Olivander, holding his voice for effect, "Yes yes yes, the different types of cores. Differences in types of cores are VERY significant. Therefore, we will discuss the major types of cores 1 at a time. Since your wand has a dragon heartstring core we will start our discussion of cores with dragon heartstring."

"Okay," said James simply.

"The dominant feature of most dragon heartstring core wands is power," said Olivander in an enthralled voice, "For this reason, witches and wizards who are chosen by dragon heartstring wands are almost always awesome at Transfiguration."

"Almost?" asked James.

"Remember," Olivander reminded James, "That a wand consists of 3 parts. The length and wood also play roles in the strengths and weaknesses of a wand. For this reason, I know that, for an example, Hugo Weasley can never be great in Transfiguration despite his dragon heartstring core wand and you'll understand why when we get into other aspects of wands. Remember too that Transfiguration is the most difficult branch of magic to perform. Sometimes even witches and wizards with talent for Transfiguration need a few years at Hogwarts or whatever school of magic they attend before they develop this skill or before this skill flourishes in them. And do realize that a specific core is not required for excellence in any branch of magic. A witch or wizard doesn't have to have a dragon heartstring core wand to be outstanding at Transfiguration. But almost all dragon heartstring core wand owners will either be or become strong in Transfiguration. "

"Well, my paternal grandfather for whom Harry named me and myself were both chosen by Dragon Heartstring wands. I just an O+ in my Transfiguration O.W.L. I've been told my paternal grandfather was also an excellent Transfiguration student. I've heard he could have gotten an O+ O.W.L. in Transfiguration had extra credit existed in his time."

"Ah, yes," smiled Olivander dreamily, "2 of the most powerful wands I've ever sold!"

"Besides power, is there any other defining characteristic of dragon heartstring cores?" asked James eagerly.

"Absolutely," said Olivander at once, "Owners of dragon heartstring wands tend to be very bold witches and wizards."

James grinned.

"I am definitely a very bold wizard," said James proudly, "With a name like James Sirius Potter, how could I not be! I'm awesome!"

"It was your boldness that led to the position you're now in, Mr. Potter." said Olivander.

"No doubt about that," agreed James instantly, "I'm 1 of the greatest and boldest wizards in the world."

"Self confidence and even having a high opinion of 1self are most common in dragon heartstring core wand owners." said Olivander matter of factly.

"The most self confident person I've ever known is myself," said James clearly, "But the brashest person I have ever met is my friend Samantha Saver."

"Another dragon heartstring core wand owner," said Olivander in a reminiscing voice, "That covers the key points about dragon heartstring wands. Power, boldness, self confidence and brashness."

"So are we moving on to another core type then?" asked James.

Olivander nodded.

"The 2nd major type of core," said Olivander dreamily, "Is unicorn hair."

"Unicorns are known as the purest of all beings," said James in a respectful kind of voice.

"You just hit a huge nail on the head, Mr. Potter," said Olivander approvingly, "Unicorn hair wands always choose pure hearted witches and wizards"

"Umm?" asked James curiously, "My friend Stephanie has a unicorn hair wand and she doesn't value love or affection much. She never really did but since the Savers adopted her she has become a proactive believer in not valuing love or affection."

"I didn't say that unicorn hair core wands chose witches and wizards that value love and affection. I said that unicorn hair core wands always choose pure hearted witches and wizards." Olivander reminded James.

"What exactly does being pure hearted really mean though?" asked James quietly, wanting to make absolutely sure he understood.

"Pure hearted people value and exemplify such traits as fairness, trustworthiness, honestly, and loyalty." said Olivander in a crystal clear voice.

"Stephanie definitely exemplifies those traits," said James firmly, "In fact, she gets really disappointed in other people and their character when they fail to show those traits. She is always honest, she will always be fair even at great cost to herself, she is a loyal friend, and as for being trustworthy, well, if I were in a foxhole I would want Stephanie Saver next to me."

"Honesty, fairness, and loyalty are the purest qualities any person can have," said Olivander clearly, "Any witch or wizard who is always honest, is infinitely fair minded, and whose loyalty can be counted is a witch or wizard that a unicorn hair core wand would want to associate with. Love and affection are actually more closely associated with another wand core type."

"Phoenixes are known for their fierceness, their faithfulness, and for having a deep seated love for their owners," said James.

"Spot on again, Mr. Potter", said Olivander, "Phoenix feather core wands tend to choose witches and wizards who have great love for their family and friends."

"My cousin Fred Weasley, my favorite sibling Lily Luna Potter, my close friend and 2nd cousin Devon Dursley, and my friend Ainsley Cochlain all have Phoenix feather wands. They are amongst the most loving people alive today. Of course so are Hugo and myself and we both have dragon heartstring core wands."

"Again, having a particular wand core is not necessary for any trait," Olivander reminded James, "But the cores will be pretty consistent about the traits they look for."

"You know, probably the fiercest love the magical community has ever known was the undying love my paternal grandmother had for Harry. I mean, she begged Lord Voldemort himself to kill her in the hope of sparing her son's life. If that isn't fierce love then I don't know what is. There's a reason Harry named my favorite sibling Lily after her," said James proudly.

"Fierce love isn't the only kind of fierceness," continued Olivander, "Phoenix feather core wand owners can be very fiery people. Though this trait is not as common as some other connections. But love is the trait most commonly associated with the Phoenix feather core."

"Lily Potter nee Evans, my paternal grandmother for whom my favorite sibling was named for was known to have a fiery side to her," said James.

"Yes, she was a definite example of a fiery phoenix within a witch." smiled Olivander, "By the way, phoenix feather wands are excellent for Charms though hardly necessary to be great at Charms. Truthfully, wand characteristics are not that important in Charms, a subject that is much more about the magical skill of witches and wizards than the strength or weakness of wands."

"Are there any other wand core types, asked James smartly, knowing he needed to make sure to get as much information as could.

"There are numerous wand core types but I've only ever used dragon heartstring, phoenix feather, and unicorn hair." answered Olivander.

"Should I learn about them all?" asked James simply.

"That would be impossible or at least impractical," replied Olivander, "There is loads of localization when it comes to wand core types. I think you should be aware of dragon heartstring, unicorn hair, and phoenix feather. Later in the year as your lessons wind down and you get closer to becoming a Wandmaking teacher, I will allow but not require you to suggest other magical creatures that could be used in wand cores if you want and will provide information on whether such cores would be realistic options. For now, we stick to the big 3."

"That makes sense," agreed James," Nothing can be learned by overstuffing my head."

"There's a crucial thing for you to understand about cores and, for that matter, wands in general , Mr. Potter." said Olivander matter of factly.

"What's that?" asked James.

"Most witches and wizards have multiple wands that might choose them. In many cases, which wand a witch or wizards actually acquires comes down to is that a witch or wizard simply happens to try a 1 wand that chooses them before other wands that might choose them get a chance." explained Olivander.

"Ohhhhhhhh!" realized James, "That's a GREAT thing and a VERY important thing. That explains why witches and wizards whose wands become lost or damaged beyond repair are not out of luck and can obtain replacement wands that work just as well for them!"

"Exactly," Mr. Potter, "Now we move on to discussing... began Olivander before coughing,

"We move on to discussing what?" asked James.

"The next thing we need to go over is wand lengths," said Olivander simply.

"How important is length in wands?" asked James.

"Somewhat important," answered Olivander matter of factly, "Very short wands lack power."

"And wand power is very important in Transfiguration!" realized James in a nanosecond. "So that's why Hugo can never be great at Transfiguration. His wand is only 6 inches long."

"You pick up on things quickly Mr. Potter," said Olivander approvingly, "Your attentiveness and ability to put 2 and 2 together make you great student. Yes, the shortest wands ever known to exist are 5 inches."

"How important is precision in wand measurements?" James asked Olivander.

"Not very important at all. Wandmaking is not a very precise discipline. Wands are always sold in increments of 1/4s but it's actually rare that a wand will be EXACTLY, say 8 and 1/2 inches long. An 8 and 1/2 inch wand might actually be 8.52 inches long rather than 8.50 inches long. If the length of a wand is in the ballpark of the length the seller claims it to be, it's fine." explained Olivander.

"So is there a minimum length that a wand needs to be for a witch or wizard to have the potential to be a Transfiguration whiz? My friend Ainsley Cochlain is a prodigy in all disciplines of Transfiguration and her wand is only 7 inches," asked James with genuine curiosity.

"It's an accepted fact in Wandlore that wands of lengths 5 inches-6 and 3/4 inches will never be good for Transfiguration. Wands of lengths from 5 inches-6 and 3/4 inches are considered"very short" wands. Wands of 7 inches-7 and 3/4 inches are considered"short" wands. It is rare for witches and wizards whose wands are of lengths 7 inches-7 and 3/4 inches to be excellent at Transfiguration. There are exceptions in this length class and Miss Cochlain is 1 of them. However, these exceptions always come from witches and wizards who are GREAT at Transfiguration. These witches and wizards also almost always have a VERY strong interest in and passion for Transfiguration." explained Olivander.

"Ainsley loves Transfiguration," said James brightly . "Ainsley is a great student but she tells us regularly, hell, frequently, that Transfiguration is her favorite subject. And she's a COMPLETE Transfiguration prodigy. She's AWESOME at Multiplying Spells, Vanishing Spells, and Conjuring Spells."

"Some day, Miss Cochlain will be a regular fixture in Transfiguration Today," predicted Olivander, "To be able to do all that with a 7 inch wand is phenomenal."

"So?" guessed James, "Would wands of lengths 8 inches-9 and 3/4 inches would be considered average length wands."

"Yes, Mr. Potter," said Olivander happily, "Wands of lengths 10 inches-11 and 3/4 inches are considered long wands. To be truly "powerful" a wand must be at least 10 inches long. The rule in Wandlore is that short = finesse and long = power. Wands of lengths 12 inches-13 and 3/4 inches are considered very long wands and are very powerful. In the wrong hands wands of lengths 12 inches-13 and 3/4 inches are dangerous, especially if they also have dragon heartstring cores. 1 of the worst examples of such a wand falling into the wrong hands was Bellatrix Lestrange's 12 and 3/4 inch dragon heartstring core wand."

"The worst of all Death Eaters," acknowledged James, "I actually have an even longer dragon heartstring core wand. 13 and 1/2 inches. No wonder Transfiguration comes so naturally to me. No wonder I can actually feel the power of my wand. Don't worry though, I am a Potter through and through and therefore of the light. What is the longest wand you have ever sold?"

"16 inches, to Hagrid," said Olivander simply, "But unfortunately, that wand got snapped in 1/2."

"So the notable thing about wand length is power?' said James.

"That's it in a nutshell," said Olivander, "The more length, the more power. "

"Is flexibility an important trait in a wand?" James asked Olivander, "My wand is unbendable. does that make it more power than a swishy wand."

"No, "answered Olivander clearly, "Both extremely flexible and totally unbendable wands can work =ly well in any branch of magic. Length, not flexibility is the key to how powerful a wand is or isn't."

"And power level mostly affects Transfiguration?" said James.

"Primarily in terms of Hogwarts subjects," said Olivander, "It can affect Defense Against the Dark Arts on a small level. But powerful wands are vey desirable for performing the Dark Arts, which are not taught at Hogwarts. Having long wands was highly beneficial to Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Have you ever considered stopping selling long wands?" James asked Olivander.

"No!" exclaimed Olivander, "Really powerful wands can be used for good too. But we'll talk about that when we get into woods. Before we do, another aspect of Wandlore is cleanliness. Now there's not a lot to say on the subject of cleanliness, but."

"Filthy and uncared for wands will be less effective in all branches of magic than clean and cared for wands," understood James.

"Bingo!" replied Olivander.

"I polish my wand every Sunday night," James informed Olivander with a grin.

"Excellent, Mr. Potter ," smiled Olivander, "1ce a week is sufficient to ensure a well functioning wand."

"So I'm guessing we're not spending too much time on this topic?" guessed James.

"No, it just needed to be mentioned," said Olivander simply.

"So what's next?" asked James.

"Woods," said Olivander in a mystical voice as James suddenly quivered with excitement.

"Woods," said Olivander very clearly, "Play various roles with regard to wands. What I'm going to do now is go over some common wand wood types and explain what role(s) that wood plays in the wands that are made of it. Now that are about 9 hundred octillion different wand woods known to be in use today. We won't cover all of them. We won't necessarily cover all of the common 1s even. You'll learn more about more wand wood types as the year progresses. I want to focus on some major types of wand wood tonight."

"is woods the last topic we are going to cover tonight? "asked James.

"Yes," confirmed Olivander.

"In that case, let's save the discussion of my wand's wood for last. I'd like to end the night on a discussion of something that is germane to my own wand." said James.

"Fair enough," said Olivander, "In that case, is there a particular type pf wand wood you'd like to cover 1st?"

"Yew!" said James firmly, "Yew should be a fascinating wand wood to learn about!"

"Ah yes," said Olivander in a mythical voice, "Yes yes yes yes. Yew. 1 of the most intriguing woods in Wandlore. The 1st thing you gotta understand about yew wands is that yew wands are EASILY the most powerful wands on the market in any wand market. If yew is combined with dragon heartstring core in any wand of at least 12 inches, such a wand would be amongst the most powerful in the world. Regardless of core, any yew wand of at least 13 inches would also be amongst the most powerful wands in the world. Yew is the ideal wand wood for murderers and the ideal wand wood for healers at the same time. "

"I know of at least 2 yew wands in existence that are at least 13 inches, though both are phoenix feather core," said James breathlessly.

"Ah, yes, "said Olivander breathlessly, "1 of those belonged to the Dark Lord. 13 and 1/2 inches yew and phoenix feather."

"How big a factor was having a very long yew wand in Voldemort being the greatest murderer in wizarding history?" James Olivander tensely.

"Not the be all end all but definitely a very important factor," said Olivander briskly, "Here's something that's VERY important to understand: Both the Dark Arts and Defense Against the Dark Arts are subjects where BOTH the wand AND the witch or wizard performing the spells play huge roles in proficiency. Having a very powerful wand is immensely helpful in performing both the Dark Arts and Defense Against the Dark Arts. At the same time, an aptitude at either the Dark Arts or Defense Against the Dark Arts requires strong willpower from the witch or wizard performing them."

"So even with a very long yew wand you really have to want to kill in order to be able to kill?" asked James tensely.

"Yes," said Olivander queasily, "Magical murders must have strong motivation behind them to be performable. Just saying the words to the spell and waving even a very powerful wand without any real intent will have no result. But if the motive to murder does exist and the dark wizard owns a very powerful wand, the would be murderer has a 99.99999999999 % chance of being successful. Only Harry Potter is known to have survived a genuine murder attempt. "

Knowing perfectly well that Olivander was referring to Harry's survival as a baby and not wishing to discuss that subject, James steered things in a different direction by mentioning, "My close friend and 2nd cousin Devon Dursley owns the other very long yew wand known to exist. 13 inches with yew and phoenix feather."

"Mr. Dursley was very tense when he left my shop after his wand chose him," revealed Olivander, "He knows his wizarding history and was fully aware that the Dark Lord had possessed a wand very similar to his."

"Devon was very uneasy about that his 1st 2 months at Hogwarts," explained James uncomfortably, "In fact he was terrified that his yew wand would lead him to the Dark Side, especially since it had the same core and a similar length to Voldemort's wand."

"His attitude towards his wand took a 180 degree turn after it saved Mr. Weasley!"said Olivander dramatically.

"How do you know about that?" asked a stunned looking James.

"Professor McGonagall informed me of that event," said Olivander matter of factly, "I have contacts in every important wizarding location in Britain who infom me if anything noteworthy with regard to wands occurs at such a location. For Hogwarts, this is Professor McGonagall."

James felt foolish upon hearing this answer. Of course Olivander would be informed about anything of significance related to wands!

"Yew has exceptional healing power. This is well known in the healing industry," said Olivander.

"Then why aren't yew wands more common?' asked James urgently, "If a wand wood can help the healing industry that would be more beneficial to we witches and wizards than anything else."

"1 thing you must understand is that yew wands gained a VERY negative reputation because of the Dark Lord. From the time the Dark Lord 1st rose until many years after the Dark Lord's death, I was under IMMENSE public pressure not to make yew wands. Even those witches and wizards who might have supported the making of yew wands wouldn't dare speak this opinion at the time. The very topic of yew in wands had to kinda die out in public before I could even think about making another yew wand." explained Olivander uncomfortably, "Even now I will only try a yew wand with a known muggleborn. I might not have tried it on Mr. Dursley had I known he had knowledge of wizarding history."

"Do you support the use of yew in wands?" James asked Olivander.

"It's a double edged sword," admitted Olivander, "But I do support the use of yew as a wand wood because there are some conditions for which yew is the only known cure. Sapavetius is the most well known of these conditions, though it is a rare magical bug. It does pop up from time to time as it did with Mr. Weasley. That said, you have to remember that in the aftermath of Voldemort, many parents and grandparents would have been terrified at the idea of their children and grandchildren owning yew wands. I can't really blame them. The 13 inch phoenix feather yew wand I sold to Mr. Dursley was the 1st yew wand I'd made since before the Dark Lord 1st rose."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh," piped up James suddenly, "I won't do this without gaining Hugo's. Devon's and Lily's permission 1st, but it might be a good idea to publicize the story of how Devon's yew wand saved Hugo. That might gain more public support for making yew wands and you could make more of them and that would be a big plus for Healers."

Olivander sat frozen for a nanosecond and the smiled, "Ask them. Mr. Potter, I think you may be onto something."

"I will," promised James in a crystal clear voice.

"Another wand wood that will be of great interest to you is willow," said Olivander in a mystical voice.

"Both my paternal grandmother and my favorite sibling who Harry named after her were chosen by willow wands.," said James with warmth in his voice.

"Willow wands are quite picky, choosy, and fussy about who they chose," said Olivander clearly, "No dark witch or wizard has ever been known to have owned a willow wand, be it be the wand's original choice or being won. Furthermore, willow wands are so undying loyal to their original owners that it is literally impossible to win a willow wand away from its original owner. Willow wands NEVER work well for witches and wizards who "win" them and will eventually find their way back to their orginal owner."

"Find their way back to their original owners?" asked James in a confused voice.

"Willow wands that have been won will eventually "run away" from the witches and wizards who "won" them and "go home" to their true and beloved owners." said Olivander.

"Does that mean?" asked James slowly, "That willow wands will choose very loyal and loving people.

"Absolutely," said Olivander instantly.

"My favorite sibling is the most loyal and loving person I have ever met," said James proudly, "There is not a person alive today who loves his or her family and friends more than Lily Luna Potter. And there's no more fiercely loyal person on this planet than Lily Luna Potter. I don't even know how to articulate that to someone who doesn't know her personally. "

"The opposite of willow in terms of wand woods is beechwood," piped up Olivander, "Beechwood wand owners are often loners."

"My cousin Roxanne is a loner because she values personal freedom and personal choice far more than affection or companionship," said James.

"And Miss Weasley was chosen by a beechwood wand," remembered Olivander.

"My friend Samantha Saver, though a far less extreme loner, does always insist that Sundays are for me time. Samantha is always discouraging people from becoming attached to other people under the premise that doing so is setting 1self up from grief or sadness by doing so because people can always die or move. Samantha has now passed these beliefs on to Stephanie. Samantha also insists that her greatest strength as a person is hat she neither needs nor values love or affection. She's not entirely uncaring, as her donation to Worthy Wands and her push for her family to adopt Stephanie will attest. But she's completely unloving and non affectionate.

"That sounds like a beechwood wand owner alright, "Is Miss Saver shy?"

"She usually is and Lily has said Samantha is very uncomfortable having to perform in front of people, such as in class," said James matter of factly, "But her shyness goes away quickly when she has the opportunity to praise herself."

"it is common for beechwood wands owners to be both selfish and materialistic," began Olivander.

"Which Samantha certainly is," said James,

"But because shyness and lonerism are frequent traits of beechwood wand owners, arrogance, brashness, and boastfulness are uncommon amongst beechwood wand owners," said Olivander, "One thing of note about beechwood wands is that beechwood is an EXCELLENT wand wood for non verbal spells."

"Samantha is still a few years away from learning nonverbal spells but she is always quite adept at Silencing Charms," James informed Olivander.

"All beechwood wand owners are great at Silencing Charms," said Olivander matter of factly, "Beechwood has always had this connection with the quiet side of the world. But there's another wand wood that's associated with playfulness, fun loving, and joking, Do you know any pranksters or really fun loving people."

"Ainsley Cochlain is both," answered James,

"A maple wand owner," reminisced Olivander, "Miss Cochlain showed that side of herself when she came to my shop. In fact, it was no surprise to me at all when Miss Saver ended up with a beechwood wand and Miss Cochlain ended up with a maple wand. Miss Saver came into my shop with her head down and seeming very uncomfortable. Miss Cochlain came into my shop naked and laughing and giggling and had a very playful attitude. When the 1st wand she tried didn't choose her, she tossed it back to me with a between the legs throw and was go lucky to move to the next attempt."

"That doesn't surprise me at all," grinned James.

Olivander next turned to a topic that James had great personal interest in.

"Your father was chosen by a holly wand," said Olivander in mythical voice, "Can you guess what trait is most tied to holly wands?'

"Bravery," said James proudly, "Harry Potter was the bravest man in wizarding history!"

"Bingo! "replied Olivander with a rare grin, "Any witch or wizard who is chosen by a holly wand will be unyieldingly brave. The question is how he or she uses that bravery. Mr. Potter used his bravery for the benefit of others to save not only lives, but the wizarding community as we know it. A holly wand owner will alwys make a good solider, firefighter, or auror."

"Harry is known as one the best aurors the ministry possesses," said James radiantly.

"We'll finish with your wand wood and that is mahogany," smiled Olivander, "Mahogany wands are powerful wands. Not as powerful as yew or even walnut but certainly fantastic wands for Transfiguration. That's especially true when mahogany is combined with a dragon heartstring core in a long wand ."

"Another words, " said James. holding up his wand, "I have the perfect tool for Transfiguration!"

"Yes yes yes, "said Olivander with a rare smile, "Mahogany wands also choose bold witches and wizards, that certainly applies to you Mr. Potter."

"Yes it does," James grinned.

"We'll leave this lesson here for tonight," said Olivander, "Meet me again at 11 p.m. Wednesday night."


	38. The Naming of Devon Dursley

Classes for the 2020-2021 school year started on Wednesday, September 2nd. 2020.

On Friday, September 4th, 2020, the 1st mandatory library sessions were held.

Not much of note happened in either of those.

And on Sunday September 6h, 2020, at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time, James, Albus, Devon, and Lily resumed their meetings in the Room of Requirement to learn about Potter/Durley family history. They had decided to do this every Sunday until they finished the book.

As James, Albus, Devon, and Lily entered the room, a feeling of familiarity sank in on them. Upon entering the room, each of them felt as those they had just left it the day before even though it had been months.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all automatically found their favorite Room of Requirement sofa seats. After enough times, each of them found his or her way to his or her favorite sofa seat without thinking about it.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all opened their books to Chapter 7.

Chapter 7 was titled The Naming of Devon Dursley.

"Ohhhh!" said Devon eagerly, "I am about to find out why Dudley named me Devon!"

"I'm really happy for you to have this opportunity, Devon," said Lily genuinely, "There have been a few more Potter centric chapters and a few mixed chapters so far but this is the 1st Dursley centric chapter we've encountered."

"The 1 thing Devon already knows is that Dudley is the only person who had any say in his naming, I am right?" asked James.

"Correct," said Devon, "Dudley has always said that he had a very specific reason for naming me Devon but he's never told me what that reason is. He has told me that he thought that knowledge would come to me at some point. "

"Let's get cracking them," said Albus.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all read:

When it came time for Dudley Dursley to name his son, it was a decision he took very seriously. Of course, all fathers should take the naming of their children seriously, but Dudley took this decision especially seriously because he knew that Devon would be his only offspring. For thousands of years it had been Dursley family tradition to have only 1 child. The Dursleys had always believed it best for a child to grow up as an only child. For 1 thing, only children would never have to deal with 'sibling rivalry". For another, having only 1 child allows that child to get more attention from his or her parents. Sure, this did mean that Dursley children were often spoiled but the Dursleys had never seen any problem with this. In fact, many Dursleys, including both Dudley and Devon, were believers that it was worth sacrificing some character to gain more happiness. Not having to divide attention between children had always been the biggest of all reasons that the Dursleys had historically and still believed in being a 1 child per generation family. On 1 hand, the Dursley family philosophy of "1 child per generation." had indeed led to strong parent-child bonds in the Dursley family. Unfortunately, Dudley Dursley's father and Devon Dursley's grandfather Vernon Dursley had disowned them when he discovered that Devon was magical. Vernon had also disowned Petunia for being supportive of Devon being magical. Having disowned all his living family expect his sister Marge, Vernon became a workaholic. The good news, however, is that a VERY strong bond between Devon and Dudley and Debra has reestablished the close knit relationships the Dursleys have always had amongst themselves. Of course, the downside of "1 child per generation." is that it makes the end of the family line much more likely. If that 1 child never marries then there are no kids in the next generation to keep the legacy alive. Still, the Dursleys had always taken that chance and the line is still alive as of now. Knowing that Devon would be his only child, Dudley wanted to name his son after someone who had really done something special for him. Well, after Voldemort died, Dudley turned 18 and he decided to go away to the United States for college. Great Britain would always be home and he knew he would return home after college. But, after everything that had happened in the years leading up to his turning 18, the diet, the dementors, having to abandon house and go into hiding, Dudley wanted to get away from it all for awhile. His ideal situation would be to attend a United States university for 4 years, then return to Great Britain and start a new British life. Ideally, he would be able to marry quickly after moving back to Britain and move into an adult house and hopefully have his child soon thereafter. There was 1 major problem: Being forced into hiding had prevented Vernon from working during that time so the Dursleys didn't have as much money at that time as they normally would. Well, when Dudley Dursley was researching a handful of United States colleges via various websites, he had mentioned his hopes and financial situation in a comments section of a website on comparing universities. In a genuine act of kindness, a wealthy stranger who did not wish to give his last name, but who went by the 1st name of Devon, stepped forward and became a donor to Dudley. "Devon" arranged for Dudley to receive full tuition, room, student fee, book, and meal money for 4 years. Dudley simply communicated with "Devon" what his needs for each semester were as the semester approached via the internet and "Devon" would put the needed amount of money in the Dursleys bank account. Not only that, but, after Dudley married Debra and moved into his adult house, "Devon" provided funds that paid for the Dursleys house to be both painted and furnished. Though it wouldn't be long after Dudley's and Debra's marriage that the Dursleys became wealthy again, and, in fact, more wealthy than ever before, Dudley never forgot how much "Devon" had helped him when he really needed it and he thus named his son Devon in honor of the kind donor. Dudley's choice to name his son Devon was a sincere gesture of gratitude towards a man who had helped out when he had really needed help. He had informed his wife Debra as well as several of his friends, including his best friend Piers, of his decision to name his son Devon a few weeks before his birth and they could tell how genuine this decision was. To honor and acknowledge "Devon", Dudley named his son Devon.

"That just goes to show how different the adult Dudley is from the child Dudley," said Devon proudly, "The child Dudley would have accepted the money without even thinking about it. The adult Dudley appreciates and remembers when someone does something for him."

"You know," said James thoughtfully, "This Devon's gesture seems like the type of thing Lily would do. A generous act of kindness to help out a total stranger. Here's a guy who saw that someone needed help, realized he was in a position to help, and did."

"I always like stories like this," said Lily warmly, "It's sad that Dudley was in that position through no fault of his own but it's heartwarming to read about "Devon"s act of kindness to help Dudley out."

"Devon was a fantastic name choice given what "Devon," had done for Dudley," said James approvingly, "This story may not have the same level of emotional significance that the naming of we Potters did but I have great respect for a person who can remember who helped him or her when he or she needed help long after things get better."

"People do tend to lose perspective quite easily," admitted Albus, "But not Dudley. And I also give Dudley credit for keeping the naming of Devon to himself."

"The only person who has any right to name any baby is the baby's father," said Lily firmly, "Keeping this decision to himself is part of being a good father in my opinion."

"You're totally right about that Lily," said Devon cheerfully, "Now that I know why Dudley named me Devon, I am very proud to carry the name Devon."

Devon felt his heart warming as he let the story of his naming sink in on him.

Knowing now about "Devon", Devon couldn't be prouder of Dudley for naming him Devon.


	39. Going Public for the Public Good

After the 1st Potter-Dursley session in the Room of Requirement of the new school year, James asked Lily and Devon to hang back for a minute while telling Albus he could go.

"Lily, Devon?" asked James, "Could you 2 please wait in here for a few minutes? I'm going to go fetch Hugo. There is something I wish to discuss with all 3 of you."

"Of course!" chorused Devon and Lily.

James returned a few minutes later with Hugo.

"So, Devon, Hugo, Lily," said James clearly, "During my Wandlore lessons with Olivander last week, I had an idea that Olivander thinks a good idea but I will need permission from you 3 to execute it."

"What is it?" asked Lily.

"Well," said James, "I want to go public with the story of how Devon's yew wand saved Hugo."

"That's up to Hugo and Devon," said Lily calmly.

Both Hugo and Devon had nervous looks spread across their faces at this. Both were feeling queasy and uneasy at the prospect of such a personal thing in their lives going public. But Hugo and Devon were both opened minded enough to listen to what James had to say.

"I would feel uneasy about having it become public knowledge that I possess a yew wand," admitted Devon, "While it's true that I learned from my yew wand saving Hugo that yew wands can be used for good and while that certainly changed my perspective on owning a yew wand for the better, the fact remains, yew wands are actually quite taboo in the magical community because many people do still associate yew with Voldemort."

"As for me," said Hugo tentatively, "I am not comfortable with or crazy about something so personal going public."

"Nor I am," agreed Devon instantly.

"Would you 2 at least be willing to listen to James and consider the idea?" asked Lily.

"Yes." chorused Hugo and Devon.

"Here's the thing," said James in a crystal clear voice, "Yew wands are VERY useful for Healers. There are a handful of magical diseases for which yew is the only known cure. Sapavetius is the best known of these but there are several others as well."

"Is it well known that yew has powerful healing powers?" asked Lily.

"This is only common knowledge within the healing industry," explained James, "The general population is pretty unaware of this. It would be greatly beneficial to the healing profession and the witches and wizards that depend on its care if more yew wands could be produced. The way that Devon and Hugo going public with their story of Devon's yew wand curing Hugo of Sapavetius is that if the magical community knows that a young Hogwarts student had his life saved by a yew wand it may help turn the tide of attitude towards yew amongst witches and wizards. Olivander told me that after Voldemort 1st rose until long after Voldemort's death he was under immense public pressure not to make yew wands. Parents and grandparents were terrified at the idea of their children and grandchildren owning yew wands. That's in addition to the fact that most witches and wizards were horrified at the prospect of yew wands in the world."

"Hang on," said Lily suddenly, "If yew wands are this all powerful thing, wouldn't yew wands make good instruments of murder?"

"That is the double edged sword," said James tentatively, "Olivander admits this. But he says he supports the idea of making more yew wands. And the more I think about it, so do I. The fact is you don't need yew to commit murder. Yew is the ONLY known cure for several magical diseases and I think if the wizarding population becomes of aware of this they will move towards supporting the production of more yew wands. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Baby bro, what have you just realized?" asked Lily breathlessly.

"Big sis, I have the solution! I know how yew wands can be made with the assurances that they will be used for healing and not killing. You see, when we were talking about wand cores, Olivander explained to me that unicorn hair core wands will only ever choose pure hearted witches and wizards. The solution is to put yew wands into production but only with unicorn hair cores!"

"Would I have to replace my wand with a unicorn hair core wand?' asked Devon.

"No," replied James matter of factly, "You have proven yourself trustworthy. But there's a reason why your yew wand was the 1st yew wand Olivander made since before Lord Voldemort 1st rose. If the public knows that unicorn hair wands only choose pure hearted witches and wizards and if they know how yew wands can save lives I'm sure we'll be able to turn the tide of public opinion and allow Olivander to start making and selling more yew wands if he uses unicorn hair as the core in them."

"James is quite right," said Lily proudly, "And I think it would be especially powerful if the magical population knew that a young Hogwarts student had his life saved by a yew wand. Hugo, Devon, I urge you to allow the story of how Devon's yew wand saved Hugo's life to go public. Go public for the public good."

"I'm pretty convinced now after listening to James that that going public is the right thing to do. So much good will come from taking this public that it would be both selfish and retarded not to do so," said Devon fiercely, "I Devon Dudley Dursley, hereby give my permission for the story of how my yew wand saved Hugo's life to become public."

"I- well, I don't love the idea of something so personal in my life going public, " said Hugo queasily, "But sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the 1. I may not like the story of my having had Sapavetius going public nor may I like the idea of the story of a how a close friend's wand saved my life going public, but , if doing so can help out the healing profession and ultimately save the lives of witches and wizards, it's more than worth it. In the hope and expectation that doing so will benefit witches and wizards for eons to come, I Hugo Granger Weasley hereby give my permission for the story of how I got Sapavetius and how Devon's yew wand saved my life to become public."

"Good for you, Hugo," said Lily respectfully, "I applaud you for making the right decision rather than the easy 1."

"I'm going to send am owl to Olivander right away informing him that I have received Hugo's and Devon's permission to go public. He will contact the Daily Prophet and the story will appear in tomorrow's paper," said James.

Hugo. Devon, and Lily all nodded.

They all left the Room of Requirement and James went up to the owlery to send his owl to Olivander.

Sure enough, next morning at breakfast when James received his Daily Prophet they saw a boldface headline.

 **Young Hogwarts Student's Life Saved By Close Friend's Yew Wand.**


	40. Hugo VS Devon

In James's Wandlore lessons in the week that followed, Olivander taught James how to recognize by look what wood a wand was made of and by the end of his lesson on Wednesday, September 8th, 2020, James was able to successfully identify all of the major wand woods by wand appearance.

On Saturday September 12th, 2020, Wesley Wood held a Chaser trail to replace the now graduated Rachel Robins. Both Hugo and Devon would be trying out.

James. Fred, Roxanne, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie. and Lily all came out to watch and stood on the east side of the pitch.

Wesley was pleased they were there but asked for quiet until he announced his decision.

Ultimately it came down to Hugo and Devon.

They wee only 2 Chaser hopefuls who passed the basic flying test Wesley put Chaser hopefuls through.

With only 2 contestants, Wesley decided to start them with some 1 on 1 competitions.

He gave them each 10 quaffles and had Hugo shoot at the north center hoop from mid pitch and had Devon shoot at the south center hoop from mid pitch.

They each hit all 10 shots.

Wesley then had them shoot 1 at time until 1 of them missed. Both tied making exactly 24 shots in a row.

Wesley then handed Devon and Hugo 3 quaffles each and told them to aim all 3 towards their hoop at once. Hugo and Devon got all 3 quaffles in their hoops.

Finally, Wesley decided to have Hugo and Devon just fly around and play 1 on 1 Quidditch for 15 minutes.

To Wesley's approval. Hugo and Devon not only played 1 on 1 in terms of trying to score goals but occasionally took a break and practiced passing with each other. This allowed Wesley to see their passing skills. Both Hugo and Devon had great passing skills so that wasn't much of a tiebreaker. Nether really got the upper hand on the other and finally Wesley called off the trail and asked for a 10 minute thinking period to make the tough choice.

"The newest Gryffindor Chaser is..." began Wesley, holding his voice for effect.

Wesley held his breath for about a minute and then...

"Devon Dursley!"

Devon stood almost stunned for a nanosecond and then jumped up into the air in a leap of fierce joy.

"YES!" screamed Devon in a voice that reeked of surreal ecstasy, "I- I'm really a Gryffindor Chaser. I-I really did it."

"Great job, Devon," said Hugo with a genuine smile on his face, "High 5?"

Devon and Hugo high 5ed and Hugo then looked Devon eye to eye.

"Devon," said Hugo in a sincerely happy voice, "You were awesome out there and I couldn't be happier for you to have this opportunity. I KNOW you are going to make our families, friends, and fellow Gryffindors proud with your performance as a Gryffindor Chaser this year. Great job buddy."

Hugo held out his hand and Hugo and Devon exchanged a heartfelt handshake.

"Thanks a it, Hugo, you're a class act and a wonderful and I hope you get another at making this team in the future.," said Devon warmly, "By the way, although I edged you out, you should still be very proud of your effort and performance today. I had to play out my mind to = that."

"Thank you, Devon,," said Hugo, "Well I am a year below Roxanne so maybe I'll have a shot in 7th year."

Hugo and Devon now went to join Lily, James. Fred, Roxanne, Ainsley. Samantha and Stephanie.

"YES! I DID IT!" shouted Devon as he ran up to Lily, "I'm a Gryffindor Chaser!"

"Congratulations Devon," said Lily radiantly, patting Devon on the back , "I can't even to tell you how proud I am of you and how far you've come. Last year you couldn't even fly at all and now you're a Gryffindor Chaser!"

"I'm really proud of you as well," said James sincerely , "You changed your life for the better after New Year's and this is juts another reward along the way. I look forward to calling your 1st match and I'm sure my big sis is looking forward to having you as a teammate."

"Absolutely correct, baby bro," said Lily happily, "And he's going to better than Rachel so it also improves our team."

"I owe a lot of this to the Potters," said Devon with a genuine tent of appreciation in his voice, "Harry noticing I was so severely overweight and giving Lily her mission to help me. Lily knowing exactly how to get through to me and making see I how I needed to take more responsibility for my life and what I had to gain by doing so. James convincing me to give up beer. James. Albus, and Lily all helping me practice fly and practice Quidditch over the summer. My triumph is largely of the Potters making."

"Still, it was ultimately down to you, Devon," said Lily clearly, "You were the 1 who had to do those weight loss exercises. You were the 1 who had to develop more self discipline and take more responsibility for your own life. You were the 1 who actually had to give up beer. And at the end of the day, while we did help you out in terms of practicing with you, you were always fully committed to developing your Quidditch game and you always took that very seriously. You flat out earned the spot.. That you were able to go from not even being able to fly at all to being a Gryffindor Chaser in only a year's time is absolutely amazing!"

"I think you'll fit right in with Ainsley and me as our 3rd Chaser," Roxanne told Devon.

At that nanosecond Devon felt slow stream of something cold and wet on his neck. He instinctively turned around and saw that Ainsley had positioned herself behind him and was spraying him with her Super Soaker 50 water gun.

"Good 1, Ainsley," said Devon with a grin and giggle.

"New season, new prank," smirked Ainsley, "Don't think I have totally given up the water balloon pranks though."

Changing her tone, Ainsley said in a more serious voice, "Devon you were magnificent out there today. I am so happy to have you as a teammate. It's nice having another 1 of my friends on the team and I know you are going to help Gryffindor keep that Quidditch Cup. All due respect to Rachel Robins, who was a very good Chaser in her own right, I think with you on board, we have a chance to be the best Chaser trio in Gryffindor history, even better than Johnson, Spinet,and Bell."

"Roxanne, Ainsley, thanks," said Devon gently, "It feels really good to know that my fellow Chasers believe in me."

"After the way you performed today, how could they not!" beamed Fred.

"To add a great Chaser like Devon to an already strong Chaser group and with Lily as Seeker and Fred and Stephanie at Beater, and I, the great Samantha Saver, the greatest Keeper of all time, I KNOW we are going to repeat!" said Samantha confidently, "Devon, welcome to the team!"

"Fred, Samantha, I appreciate the warm welcome. Wesley, I will make you glad you chose me."

Stephanie remained silent. Remembering their her original Beater trail from the previous year, Stephanie, were thinking of Hugo and heartbroken he must be feeling at this nanosecond.

Hugo himself finally came over.

"Hugo," said Stephanie sympathetically, "I was in your position last year at this time. I know how crushing to be on the losing end of a great battle like that. I know how devastating it is to be awesome only to see someone else be just as awesome and snatch the spot away."

"Stephanie, I understand why you would empathize with my not making the team after the way you lost your original trial last year," said Hugo, "But this is Devon's day. Can't you either congratulate him or else offer him some kind words?

"I relate more to the loser than the winner in a situation like this because of my own experience," replied Stephanie, "But Devon was superb and deserved his triumph."

"You know," said Lily thoughtfully, "I'm obviously proud of Devon but I'm also proud of Hugo both for his more than worthy performance and his classiness in defeat."

"Being a friend is more important than being a competitor," said Hugo fiercely, "Besides, I'll still come out with James to watch team practices. That's not so bad. If my friends are successful then I'm happy for then. Go Devon!"

"Go Devon!" chorused everyone.

They all looked at each other and smiled. Devon had come so far in such a short time and the pride they all had in him was palpable.


	41. The Naming of James Sirius Potter

The day after Devon earned his Chaser spot, he James, Albus, and Lily met up in the room of Requirement on Sunday, September 13th, 2020 at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time.

They picked up their reading of the Potter Dursley family history book with chapter 8.

Chapter 8 of the Potter-Dursley family history book was titled the naming of James Sirius Potter.

"YES!" said James eagerly, "Albus, Devon and Lily have all previously had chapters on their namings so I'm last in line in this book in terms of learning about our namings. I'm really excited to learn about my naming."

"I'm glad that after today, all 4 of us will know the full stories of our namings," said Devon happily, "The naming chapters have given each of us a day of special focus within the family history. I know how much those days meant to Albus, Lily, and myself and I'm sure James will find his just as meaningful."

"You know," said Lily thoughtfully, "1 thing about James's naming is that James Sirius Potter is Harry's 1st and eldest child. We're about to read about Harry's 1st experience of naming a child. "

"Let's get rolling," said Albus, "Let's read James's chapter and then all 4 of us shall know about our namings."

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all opened their books to chapter 8 and read a transcript that showed Harry's thoughts as he named his 1st child.

...

It is a very exciting time in my life. I am on the verge of being a father for the very 1st time. My 1st son is due in 3 weeks. But there is an important order of business that needs attending to before that day comes. I need to pick a name for him.

Last night I made arrangements with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna for us all to meet up in the Leaky Cauldron.

We have just arrived and ordered butterbeers and Hannah, with a butterbeer of her own in tow, has also joined us at our table.

"Can any of you guess why I have organized this meeting?" I ask Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah.

"You have chosen a name for your upcoming son and you wish to reveal to us what that name is?" guesses Hermione.

"Right in 1!" I say, grinning at Hermione.

"Smart girl, that Hermione," smirks Ginny.

"There's 1 very important thing you all need to understand and I need to make it crystal clear right from the start," I say clearly, "This decision is mine and mine only. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Hannah, none of you are my son's father and therefore none of you have any right to any say in his naming, I decided years ago not to share this decision with anyone, not even those closest to me. I knew not too long after the Battle of Hogwarts that if I ever had kids that I and only I would have any choice in their namings."

"That's the way it should be," agrees Luna at once, "And this isn't exclusive to you, Harry; the only person should have any say in the naming of ANY baby is the baby's father."

"I don't think anyone would ever argue against that," pipes up Hannah instantly, "And I know we are all confident that Harry will do a superb job of choosing his children's names, starting today."

"Let's get to it then," encourages Neville, "Harry what will you name your son?"

"Drumroll please," I say dramatically and Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah oblige.

"My son's name shall be..." I begin, and then hold my breath for about 1/2 a minute.

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!" I finally shout out.

"James Sirius Potter!" exclaims Ron with a grin, "I think we've got a next generation marauder on our way!"

"That would be awesome if he was! Maybe he'll be a Quidditch star. !" I reply.

However, giving my son the name of James Sirius Potter is a serious thing to me and so I put on my more serious face and explain to the others:

"I am honoring 2 important people in my life with this naming," I say in a meaningful voice, "As you know, my father, James Potter died fighting Lord Voldemort at the height of his powers. You have to give it up for James and his bravery. The thing you have to understand is that James actually defied Lord Voldemort 3 times before Voldemort finally killed him the 4th time they met. How much courage did James have to have to CONTINUE to stand up to Voldemort time after time. That's the epitome of Gryffindor."

"It is tragic that you had grow up without your parents, Harry," says Hermione in a quiet and respectful voice.

"But I also know what they died for and I couldn't be prouder to be their son," I say with emotion, "To be able to honor my father by naming my son after him means the world to me."

"It is cruel," says Hannah sadly, "That Harry got so little time with James and Lily and all of it as a baby before he could even talk to them or know them."

"True," says Luna quietly, "But James and Lily loved Harry more than anything and that love endures to this day. It will always endure. The 1s that love us never truly leave us and you can always find them in here,"

Luna puts her hand right her heart.

Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Hannah, and myself are all a bit teary eyed although Ron isn't. Ron never has been 1 for much emotion.

"Thanks," I say quietly, "James this is for you. I am so proud of you, dad."

I raise my wand and think hard about honoring my father by naming my son for him and I cry out "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A stag comes galloping out of my wand and hovers over us. It doesn't last long but everyone appreciates what it means to me. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all exercise a very respectful silence while the Patronus is in the air. I feel an expressible sense of gratitude to all of them.

After the Patronus slowly fades away, Hermione says, "Harry, you couldn't have chosen a more appropriate name for your 1st son, good luck on fatherhood."

Everyone else nods. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and Hannah all know how much becoming a father will mean to me.

"Thanks, Hermione," I say, "Now as for the middle name, Sirius Black was my godfather and the closest thing to a parental figure I ever knew. The real tragic things about Sirius's life and death are that he died with most people believing him a Voldemort supporter and a mass murderer and the fact that he missed out on what might have been a happier life for him had he survived the 2nd war."

"I never knew he was innocent after his death," admits Neville, "And I don't as much about his relationship with Harry as Ron and Hermione do but I do know that Sirius was Harry's godfather. It does seem fitting that after naming his son after the father he lost that he would also name his son after the godfather he lost. I fully appreciate Harry's idea of honoring lost people who were important to him. I haven't decided yet whether to have kids of my own but if I do my 1st boy will be named Frank and my 1st girl will be named Alice after my parents."

"George's son is due soon too and I know he intends to name his son Fred," says Ginny emotionally.

"There's no way he could have chosen any other name," says Ron, "To be honest, I don't think George will ever fully heal from the loss of Fred."

"Fred was irreplaceable to George," admits Ginny, "They were brothers, twins, business partners, fellow Beaters, fellow pranksters, BFFs, and soulmates."

"But honoring people through naming is a great way to help keep their memory alive, I understand this too and that's why my son will bear the name James Sirius Potter," I add.

"You know," says Hermione thoughtfully, "It's only fitting that the names James and Sirius would go to the same child. James and Sirius were inseparable at Hogwarts so how fitting is it that the same child gets both names."

"The thing about Sirius that sticks out to me," I say clearly, "Is how genuinely affectionate he was. I could feel affection oozing from like I could from no 1 else. It would be awesome if James Sirius Potter became a Quidditch star or a fun loving kid or a marauder type. But what I most hope for is I hope my son James Sirius Potter will be a very loving and affectionate person."

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all express approval of me naming my son James Sirius Potter. While I don't need any of their approvals, I still feel satisfied at their reactions.

Yes, fatherhood is drawing near and I can't wait until this world welcomes James Sirius Potter into it.

...

"Well," said Lily proudly, "I know we can honestly say James Sirius Potter is every bit as affectionate as Harry hoped he would be."

"That's totally my nature," said James with a smile, "And it is also my strongly held personal belief that love and affection are the most important things in life. Yes, opportunity must sometimes take precedent over friendship, as Devon learned the hard way, but the more bonded a person is with his or her family, the better. And always cherish all relationships while you have them and live life to the fullest."

James then ran to Lily and hugged her.

"You know," said Lily warmly, "I couldn't be luckier to have such a loving baby brother."

"And I couldn't be luckier to have such a loving big sister," replied James with = warmth."

"What about you, Albus?" asked Devon.

"I am not as close with James and Lily as they are with each other both because my personality and interests are different from theirs and because I resent that so much happens for them while nothing ever happens for me. That said, if it came it, I would die for James or Lily."

"Would you say that you have a good relationship with James and Lily?" Devon asked Albus.

"Yes," said Albus fiercely.

"Remember what happened with the Evans sisters and don't let petty jealously lead you to ruin your relationships with James and Lily," Devon warned Albus.

Albus said nothing and Devin did not press the issue.

"As for Quidditch, I enjoy playing it at home but I was never interested in trying out for the Gryffindor team because I preferred the commentator job. Still I am a Quidditch junkie, something that Harry likes in me, " said James brightly.

"And while he may not be a marauder type, James IS fun loving," said Lily, "He loves to rib and raze and tease me."

"I've been on the receiving end of that too," said Devon, "And it's always good natured. You always know with James that it's all in fun."

"I think it is so easy to understand that because of how affectionate James is," said Lily cheerfully, "You always know that James's teasing is affectionate teasing because you know how much he loves you."

"And he's proven his boldness too with his wandmaking class idea, a boldness that is going to earn him a teaching position ," said Devon crisply, "James Sirius Potter lives up to his name on all levels."

"The thing about my naming," said James proudly, "Is that Harry obviously picked very fitting people to name me after. Plus he fully understood that he and only he had the right to name me. I think that's 1 thing we all appreciate about Harry and Dudley. They both understood as fathers that only they had any say in our namings and they kept it that way. 10 rounds of applause for Harry and Dudley for that."

"That's the end of the naming chapters," said Lily matter of factly, "We now all know why we bear the names we do."

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all felt contented about knowing the significance of their names. As a person's name is always a big part of 1s self identity, learning about their naming processes had made them realize that they had discovered more of themselves.


	42. Potions, Inspiration, and Glorious News

The night of Monday, September 14th, 2020 at 11 p.m. Hogwarts time, Olivander would finally progress from teaching James about wandlore to starting to teach him about Wandmaking.

The 1st thing James noticed when he walked into the History of Magic classroom for his lesson with Olivander was that there were 3 bottles of various potions bottles on the desk.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter," said Olivander politely as James entered the room, "Are you ready to start learning how wands are made?"

"Absolutely," said James eagerly, "But why are there bottles of potions on the desk?"

"Potions play a very important role in the task of Wandmaking," replied Olivander in a crystal clear voice, "And that's where we are going to start. I think we are still a few lessons away from letting you begin to attempt the Wandmaking process but as you now possess strong knowledge about woods and cores I can now start teaching you how the process of actually making wands works. I have decided to begin by introducing you to the potions that are important in Wandmaking and teaching you about their roles and importance in Wandmaking."

"Alright then," said James excitedly, "Let us begin."

Olivander picked up a bottle with an icy blue shade of potion in it and held it up for James to see.

"Mr. Potter, do you know what this Potion is?" asked Olivander.

"Cooling Potion," said James with a smile, "Harry and Ginny always keep some Cooling Potion in our Potions store at Potter Manor. It is very useful for cooling 1s hand if he or she has touched something hot. It is also useful to cool any body part 1 may have spilled hot liquid on."

"Most wizarding households do keep some Cooling Potion in the house for those very reasons," explained Olivander, "In Wandmaking Cooling Potion is used at the very end of the Wandmaking process. The process of making wands generates a tremendous amount of heat. A finished wand MUST be stored in Cooling Potion for at least 25 hours before it can be touched by hand."

"Wow that long!" responded James in an amazed voice.

"Just finished wands are EXTREMELY hot and you will learn about why that is later on," said Olivander in a no nonsense voice, "You don't mess around with heat energy."

"No you don't," agreed James.

Olivander next picked up a bottle of a somewhat but not really clear potion that seemed to have an almost gluey type of essence to it.

James looked curiously at the potion.

"This is Strengthening Potion," explained Olivander, "Before the Wandmaking process can begin. any wood that is to be used in the making of wands must be treated in Strengthening Potion as it is of vital importance that wands not break. The treatment of wand wood in Strengthening Potion greatly increases the strength of the wood and thus makes wands impossible to break via any method involving the hands. In fact, Strengthening Potion treatment for wand wood ensures that the only way of breaking a wand is via a VERY powerful magical spell. Strengthening Potion must be applied to wand wood for 10 hours before beginning to make wands. "

"That makes all the sense in the world," said James matter of factly, "Wands are subject to so much handling and it can be very easy to be rough with them."

"BINGO!" said Olivander approvingly, clearly glad James was picking up on these things so quickly, "It may have come as a surprise to you that Potions plays a role in Wandmaking."

"It did at 1st," admitted James, "But now it feels as though I should have known it all along. Because wands are so important, they need to receive loads of cure and treatment throughout the Wandmaking process. Potions, though not as fundamental a part of Magic as Charms, often pop up as a required skill for important careers. Many other important careers, even if they don't require the ability to make potions, at least require a knowledge of Potions. "

"Wandmaking is 1 of those types of careers," said Olivander briskly, "I don't know a damn thing about how to make potions but I have to know what potions are and what they do and what they are used for."

"Hang on," said James suddenly, "Some wands are stronger than others. Some are actually brittle."

"That's just the texture," replied Olivander patiently, "There are many factors that go into determining the texture of a wand but ANY wand that has been cured by Strengthening Potion WILL NOT be broken be hand. Period."

"I understand," said James simply.

Olivander finally picked up the 3rd bottle which had a potion of light pink color in it. The light pink gave off a feeling of relaxation.

"This is Temperament Potion," explained Olivander, "If given to humans it helps reduce hyperactivity. In Wandmaking, hairs and feathers that are to be used in wands are treated with Temperment Potion for 5 hours before beginning to make wands. The purpose of this is to "calm" the magic of a wand's magical core so that wands do not act of their own accord. This treatment permits magical cores to still have magic but the magic must be drawn out of them by the use of the wand by its owner."

"I can imagine an out of control wand and what it might do," said James uncomfortably, "So Potions really do play a vital role in Wandmaking."

"That's 1 reason you are taking N.E.W.T. level Potions, Mr. Potter, " said Olivander matter of factly, "Cooling Potion, Strengthening Potion, and Temperament Potion are all taught in 7th year. "

"I'm guessing that Charms is the primary subject used in the actual process of making wands," guessed James.

"Indeed, " confirmed Olivander, "The application of the appropriate potions is the beginning and the end of Wandmaking. Next lesson I will teach you how to actually make a wand using the proper spells. "

"I look forward to it," said James.

As he exited the History of Magic classroom James found Lily waiting for him outside the door.

"hey big sis," greeted James cheerfully.

"Hi baby bro," grinned Lily, "Can we talk?'

"Yes, of course," replied James.

Lily led James into her room and they both sat down on Lily's bed.

"James," said Lily uncertainly, "I have been inspired by how you are learning Wandmaking from Olivander and how you are going to be a Wandmaking teacher. Well I've never thought much about my career path, but, I always planned on taking your class. Well, I would love to play my part in helping the Wizarding World by becoming a Wandmaker myself. Not to stay at Hogwarts and teach like you, but to actually be 1 of the new wandmakers Britain will so desperately need."

"I'd love to see that happen," said James sincerely, "I suppose after a few years in my class you'll know if you've got a shot."

'Do you think it's a viable career path for me?" Lily asked James.

"Only a few years in my class will answer that question. But I say this, if it's really what you want-

"IT IS!" shouted Lily.

"Chase your dreams, Lily!, "said James fiercely, "At the end of the day, it is far better to fail than to not try. Give it your all and let the chips fall where they may."

"That's sound advice," said Lily gratefully, "I was inspired by you, this idea told hold of me, and I wanted to know your opinion of it."

""It may be quite challenging but it's always worth taking a shot at your dreams," said James firmly.

"James can you tell me what Olivander's lessons have been like?" asked Lily.

James looked very uncomfortable at this question.

"I'm really sorry Lily, but I would rather not discuss that now, especially since you will be taking my classes. I think it best for you to wait until then to learn about Wandmaking. Furthermore, I promised Olivander that I would not discuss those lessons outside of our lesson times and I'm a man of my word who doesn't break promises," relied James apologetically.

"I respect that," said Lily acceptingly, "Curiosity got the best of me, sorry,"

"You didn't do anything wrong by asking, sometimes you just have to respect another person's decision not to answer (a) question(s)," said James reassuringly.

"James, you're my hero," said Lily, giving her brother a hug.

"And you're mine," gave back James as he hugged Lily back.

"Hey James, there's something else as well, I have GREAT news, Harry and Ginny, especially Harry, are ecstatic about this.

"What is it, Lily?" asked James with anticipation.

Lily unfurled a copy of the Evening Prophet and showed James the glorious headline.

TURNCOAT MARIETTA EDGECOMBE GETS DEMENTORS KISS!

'YES!" exclaimed James jubilantly, "It's awesome that that goddamn traitor got what she had coming to her!"

"Damn straight," agreed Lily gleefully, "Harry and Ginny were so elated by this news that Harry sent me this via his owl. He asked me in his letter to inform Albus and you as well, I told Albus while you were with Olivander. He's gone back to bed since. He was happy to hear the good news."

"Harry and Ginny sent us treats to celebrate this wonderful news with, I already gave Albus his." said Lily brightly.

Lily reached into the right hand pocket of her shorts and pulled out 2 Old faithful bars and threw 1 to James."

"Yes, Old faithful!" squealed James in delight, "The sleezeball traitor's downfall deserves celebrating and what a yummy way to do it."

And both James and Lily munched on their peanut and marshmallow chocolate bars with delight in their hearts at such great news, especially since they knew how joyful this news was for Harry.


	43. The Wandmaking Process

The Potters weren't the only 1s ecstatic about the downfall of Marietta Edgecombe.

Hermione Granger was so elated to hear of Marietta Edgecombe's fate that she sent Hugo and Rose large slabs of Honeydukes highest quality chocolate.

Normally, Hermione, taking a cue from her demist parents, did not permit Hugo or Rose to eat chocolate or sweets outside of Easter, Halloween, and Hogsmeade weekends, although she knew she couldn't stop them from accepting chocolates and sweets from their friends at Hogwarts.

Unlike some parents, Hermione realized that most true parental authority she had vanished when her kids were at Hogwarts.

However, Rose wasn't much into sweets to begin with. Hugo. on the other hand, had a little more of sweet tooth and sometimes helped himself to candy out of James'scandy jar when visiting Potter Manor, a practice both Lily and James himself had encouraged,

But Hermione, Rose, and Hugo all agreed with Harry, Ginny, James, Albus, and Lily, that the demise of Marietta Edgecombe was a moment well worth celebrating with chocolate.

George and Angelina sent Fred and Roxanne sugar quills to celebrate with and Parvati had sent Pamela a box of licorice wands to celebrate with.

Meanwhile, 2 nights later, James was back in the History of Magic classroom and Olivander was finally ready to show him how wands were made.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter," said Olivander with sparks in his eyes as James settled into his seat.

"So?" asked James excitedly, "Are you finally going to explain how wands are actually made tonight?"

"Yes, but 1st, we need to talk about Transfiguration. Transfiguration is a very valuable skill for a Wandmaker to possess. You see, when Wandmakers get their orders of wood in, they can either use the wood as it came off the tree(s) or..

"They can use Transfiguration to transform 1 type of wood to another!" said James eagerly.

"Yes," said Olivander matter of factly, "And that's not all. You see, you can also use Transfiguration to transform 1 type of wood to many types of wood. That is a very complex piece of Transfiguration and should only be attempted by experts. However, 1 can still use simple Transfiguration many times to produce different types of wood after the initial order of wood is cut into strips."

"Is this cutting done by hand or by magic?" asked James.

"While precision in measurements is unimportant in Wandmaking, this cutting must still be done by magic to ensure clean cuts. A wand must not have any jaggedly parts or it won"t work properly." explained Olivander.

"Splitting Charms?' guessed James with a grin.

"Right you are again, Mr. Potter," smiled Olivander, "Splitting Charms are taught to 2nd years at Hogwarts so you should find yourself with a class of competent students with regard to that skill when you start teaching."

"Splitting Charms are easy magic for competent wizards," said James crisply, "But I'm guessing that actually making wands is a challenge."

"Absolutely," confirmed Olivander, "Wandmaking requires a combination of skill, patience. and attentiveness."

James said nothing so Olivander went on, "1ce you have the wood at the length you wish to make a wand, you will need 2 pieces of it. Oh, and this is VERY important. You MUST have a smooth and hard surface to work on whilst making wands."

"I'm guessing that if the surface you are working on is soft and irregular, you will not be able to control the position of the pieces you are working on well enough to make high quality wands." surmised James smartly.

"Bravo, Mr. Potter," said Olivander approvingly, quite glad at how well his pupil was figuring things out," The surface must also be free of water or liquid. You start placing a core in the middle of your work surface. You then gently place 1 of your 2 wood pieces on top of the core on the side nearest you. Then you perform an Attachment Charm. Attachment Charms are more difficult to perform than Splitting Charms and historically are not taught until 4th year. However, as part of Charms being an accelerated subject at Hogwarts in the New Era of Hogwarts, Attachment Charms will be taught in 2nd year in the spring term. Thus Students who wish to take Wandmaking can enter it prepared. Now Attachment Charms are usually not permanent but they can become so with the application of heat."

"OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" cried James suddenly, After the Attachment Charm is performed you place the mixture in an empty cauldron and apply heat just as you would while making potions."

"Wow," said Olivander happily, "You really do get it, don't you Mr. Potter. Yes, You must heat this mixture on high for 5 full minutes and you must NEVER let this process go unattended because an overheated wand mixture WILL cause a cauldron to explode and can lead to serious injury from said explosion. Furthermore, fire can result. Great caution must be taken during the Wandmaking process."

James suddenly frowned.

"But"?" inquired James uncertainly, "That sounds as though you are making the wand mixture too hot to handle. How are you supposed to get it out of the cauldron to put the 2nd piece of wood on the other side without burning your hand?"

"You must have a pair of tongs to use to pull the 1/2 finished wand mixture out of the cauldron. After that you repeat the process by setting the 1/2 finished mixture on your work surface with the unfinished 1/2 facing you. After the 2nd 1/2 is finished, you again use your tongs to lift the wand out of the cauldron without hurting your hand," replied Olivander, "At this point, each 1/2 will be attached to the core. To fuse the 2 1/2s together, magical light must be applied."

"So," said James, now confident in his ability to anticipate what was coming next, "You set the wand down on the surface and apply Lumos Maxima!"

"You're on a roll, Mr. Potter," quipped Olivander in an amused voice, "That's exactly what you do. You need only hold the spell for 20 seconds and your wand is made, though you MUST NOT FORGET to treat your newly made wand with Cooling Potion before handling."

"So when I am going to get my 1st shot at actually make a wand?" James asked Olivander excitedly.

"Next Monday," said Olivander matter of factly.

After James left Olivander's room he again found Lily waiting for him.

"Hey, James," said Lily at once, "I know you won't give me specifics but I really want to know, have you actually attempted to make a wand yet or have you just learned the process?"

"So far just learned the process," said James, "BUT I WILL GET MY !ST SHOT AT ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A WAND ON MONDAY!"

"That's awesome, baby bro," said Lily cheerfully, "But may I give you some generic advice?"

"Of course, big sis," answered James respectfully, "I know you have my best interests at heart and you've always given me great advice in the past."

"Don't expect too much of yourself too soon," said Lily cautiously, "There's a reason that a full school is being allotted for your training. Don't get discouraged if your performance is rubbish the 1st few tries. Listen to Olivander and keep at it and you'll start to improve. By the end of the year you WILL be a master of Wandmaking but be patient with the process and don't get down on yourself."

"That's great advice big sis," said James gratefully, "I will make sure to keep that in mind moving forward. There's 1 more thing I want to tell you. That is this. Even if Olivander grants me permission to tell you exactly what I am doing with him or says it is okay for me to do so, I still will not. I still think that even though we are largely in this together and even though you are trustworthy, it would still be best for you to wait for my classes. I just feel that this stuff needs to be learned in a classroom setting and not in a conversational setting."

"Exactly, James, exactly," agreed Lily.

James and Lily hugged and headed off for bed.


	44. Ainsley's Annoucemnt

The fall of 2020 was a busy time for Lily and company.

James had Wandmaking lessons with Olivander every Monday and Wednesday night at 11 p.m. in the History of Magic classroom.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily met every Sunday in the Room of Requirement to continue their lessons on Potter-Dursley family history.

Devon, Fred, Roxanne, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily had Quidditch practice every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7 p.m. and James and Hugo also always came out to support them.

Then there were the mandatory library sessions on Fridays for everyone.

And of course, there were still the regular classes.

Lily, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha had their wandwork classes (Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, etc) on Mondays and Wednesdays and their wandless magic classes (Herbology, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, etc) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, ending these days with History of magic in the afternoon.

History of Magic classes were an excellent time and place for conversations between friends as Binns never noticed who was or wasn't paying attention.

On Thursday, September 17th, 2020, Ainsley had an announcement.

"Hey," said Ainsley to Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily "I have an announcement to make."

"What is it Ainsley?" asked Lily with interest.

Ainsley had an odd expression on her face, she was smiling but she also looked sad.

"This is bittersweet for me," said Ainsley in a kind of 1/2 cheerful 1/2 sad voice.

"Go on, Ainsley," said Lily encouragingly, "We're all behind you 100%."

"Well," said Ainsley with a small smile, "You know how my career ambition is to become a Healer just like Amy? Well, Starting in September of 2021 I will no longer attending Hogwarts as I will be transferring to the Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing. The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing is a school for witches and wizards that teaches a curriculum that specifically designed as a training curriculum for Healing. It is a 5 year program for students in years 3-7 of their magical education. Students who are successful at the Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing will be able to start Healer jobs at age 18 as the program us rigorous."

"Congratulations, Ainsley!" chorused Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily in very proud voices.

"Thanks," replied Ainsley warmly.

"That's so sweet!" said Samantha happily, "It's beyond awesome that you have a specific field you want to pursue and have the opportunity to attend a school with a program specifically tailored to that. That's wonderful Ainsley. Bittersweet? That makes no sense, this can only be a happy thing."

"The sad part," said Ainsley, getting out the words with difficulty, "Is having to have the great friends I've made at Hogwarts behind. It it is t-truly s-sad to k-know t-that- began Ainsley before starting to cry, "That in less t-than a y-year L-Lily and Hugo and De-Devon and Samantha and Stephanie and J-James and F-Fred and Roxanne will all n-no l-longer be part of m-my life."

"Friends come into and go out of life, that's just part of life," said Samantha dismissively, "That's why you should NEVER allow yourself to become emotionally attached to other people in the 1st place. Emotional attachments lead to sadness and grief."

"Exactly, Samantha," agreed Stephanie.

"You d-don't understand," said Ainsley as her tear rate increased.

But Devon knew exactly how Ainsley was feeling. This was the way he had felt when he had left Todd, Gary, and Miles behind in the muggle world to take up his place at Hogwarts.

"I know it's hard," said Devon gently as he pulled Ainsley into a hug, "While it's a truism of life that opportunity is more important than friendship, it is also 1 of those tough realities of life when you have to leave friends behind."

But Lily had another idea.

"Ainsley," asked Lily, "Does the Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing have summer school?"

"No," answered Ainsley simply.

"Then we can still be a part of your life going forward," said Lily kindly.

"How? "asked Ainsley doubtfully.

"Easily," said Devon crisply, "Whenever we all get together over the summers we can still invite you to be a part of that. Just because you won't be at Hogwarts anymore doesn't mean we can't include you. Note how my old muggle friends, Todd, Gary, and Miles, joined us at my house for New Year's and at Potter Manor over the summer."

"Ainsley we WILL make sure that you can continue to be a part of our lives moving forward and that's a promise," said Hugo fiercely.

"Thanks, all," said Ainsley weakly.

"If I may ask?" said Devon curiously, "Why are you making this announcement here and now? Wouldn't after Quidditch practice have been better so that James, Fred, and Roxanne would know as well?"

"I will tell them after practice tonight but I wanted those in my own year to know 1st." replied Ainsley.

"To be able to attend a school that is specially designed to the very career you know you wish to pursue is a wonderful opportunity for you, Ainsley. You should be ecstatic about having that opportunity," said Samantha matter of factly.

"To be able to follow in Amy's footsteps is a beautiful thing for me," said Ainsley in a proud voice while also drawing herself up proudly.

"Ainsley," said Lily loyally, "I hope you go on to become the greatest Healer in the world,"

"So do I," chorused Hugo, Devon, Samantha, and Stephanie.

"I love the fact that Ainsley wants to go into a career field where she can help people too," said Hugo warmly, "That says a lot too."

"Indeed," agreed Devon and Lily.

"It kinda all ties together," said Ainsley radiantly, "It's both the fact that I want to follow in Amy's footsteps AND that I want to help people. The very reason I hold the Healing profession in such high esteem is the fact that I saw through Amy how big a role the profession plays in helping people by watching her work."

"That's wonderful, Ainsley," said Lily happily,

"The thing that strikes me about Ainsley as a person," said Stephanie thoughtfully, "is that's she's multi dimensional. She's a prankster and loves to have fun but she's also a brilliant student. That she really wants to make a difference is another layer."

Ainsley smiled.

"That's exactly what I strive to be," said Ainsley brightly, "I would hate to be a 1 dimensional person."

Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all smiled at Ainsley. They were all happy that their friend had such a wonderful opportunity.


	45. Lily's Boys and Lily's Girls Major Rift

Warning: Chapter contains strong profanity at times.

The night of Friday, September 18th, 2020 would see a major rift between Lily's boys and Lily's girls.

It all began with Lily receiving a piece of unusually timed mail.

It was dinnertime at Hogwarts and James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were all sitting in a row at 1 part of the Gryffindor table.

Fred and Roxanne were both absent from dinner as George had had a mishap with a new product he was testing for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and Fred and Roxanne were currently visiting him in St. Mungo's.

As Lily and company all chowed down on hot dogs and onion rings, a cotangent of 6 Hogwarts barn owls swooped down over them and dropped a a long thin package directly onto Lily's lap.

Lily felt immensely curious about what could be in this package and she abandoned her dinner to open it.

Inside the package was a racing broom. This particular racing broom happened to be the newest broom on the market. It was the ZoomBroom. The ZoomBroom had been introduced over the summer and was fairly rare as its production was still in the early stages.

The ZoomBroom outshone the best of the old Firebolt models by better than 3X as it had an acceleration capacity of 0 MPH to 500 MPH in in 10 seconds, an incredible 50 MPH per second. The ZoomBroom also was the most lightweight broom ever invented. It was magnificent to look at as well in it's glossy bold black color.

Though the ZoomBroom cost over 1000 galleons, the Potters could afford them. However, their rarity had prevented them for procuring even 1 as Quality Quidditch Supplies only got about 1 in per week and there was always some wealthy Quidditch fanatic to gobble it up quickly.

Let here it now was in her hands, a ZoomBroom, the best broom ever made.

"I can't believe my good luck!" said Lily ecstatically, "This is the best broom in the world and it's rare and now I have 1. This is totally awesome baby!"

"Do you know who sent it?' asked James nervously.

"No," said Lily matter of factly, "No note or letter came with it. It would be to nice to know who sent it so I could thank him or her for it but the bottom line is I now own the best broom in the world and I'm on cloud 9!"

James shot a nervous look at both Hugo and Devon, who both returned the uncomfortable looks. James, Devon, and Hugo all knew what the other 2 were thinking.

"I can't wait to see you ride your new ZoomBroom Lily," said Stephanie eagerly, "You pretty much glide on air on any broom as it is so..."

"Combine the best flier at Hogwarts with the best broom in the world," grinned Samantha with anticipation, "It's going to awesome to watch Lily ride her ZoomBroom."

"Hey, Lily, when are you planning your 1st ZoomBroom ride?" asked Ainsley briskly.

"Tomorrow morning after breakfast," said Lily with anticipation in her voice.

James, Devon, and Hugo, were becoming more and more uncomfortable.

Why would someone send Lily something that nice and that expensive and do so anonymously?

It was always possible that a family member/friend of Lily's wanted to do something really nice for Lily without taking credit for it. It was also possible that a Gryffindor supporter who wanted Gryffindor to have every advantage possible but didn't want any limelight himself or herself had sent it.

But it seemed and felt more likely to Lily's boys that something sinister was going on here. Brooms could always be cursed or tampered with and there would be plenty of people out there who would have motivation to do so.

There could be someone who wanted to gain fame by killing Harry Potter's daughter. Sending a cursed broom anonymously would be a way to succeed in doing so and the murderer could take credit for the crime later.

Then there was always the possibility that someone mean and nasty who just didn't like Lily, such as Phillip Edgecombe, wanted to see her get hurt and sending her a tampered broom gave them a good chance of seeing that happen.

And, of course, they couldn't dismiss the possibility that a hardcore Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff fan just wanted to put the Gryffindor Seeker out of commission to improve their own house's chances for the 2020-2021 Quidditch Cup.

With so many possibilities, James, Hugo, and Devon gave each other looks that told each other quite plainly, "We are not going to let Lily ride that broom yet."

Lily put the ZoomBroom down and finished her dinner with the rest. Apple pie was served for dessert.

After dessert, Lily picked up her new ZoomBroom and galloped back to the Gryffindor Common Room tailed by Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie.

James, Hugo, and Devon, however did not leave the Great Hall after dessert. Instead they approached the staff table.

James, Hugo, and Devon saw their Head of House, Professor Longbottom, and James spoke to him.

"Professor Longbottom?" asked James urgently, "Can we have a word? We have a serious concern and it needs immediate attention."

"I'll come speak to you at the Gryffindor table," said Professor Longbottom.

Professor Longbottom followed James, Hugo, and Devon to the Gryffindor table and took a seat opposite them.

"What is your concern and why is it so urgent?" asked Professor Longbottom intently.

"We're worried about Lily," said James uneasily, "She was sent a ZoomBroom anonymously and we don't want her to fly it right away as it is impossible to know who the sender was or what his/her intent was."

"It's always possible that an enemy of the Potter family wants to kill Lily and by doing it anonymously avoid getting in legal trouble for it," said Hugo in a worried voice.

"Or that someone wishes to gain fame by killing Harry Potter's daughter," added Devon with concern in his voice, "Going about it in an anonymous and discrete way would ensure a greater chance of success and the person could take the credit and get the fame later."

"And we can't discount the possibility that a Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or Hufflepuff fan hopes to hurt Gryffindor's Seeker in the hope of damaging Gryffindor's chances in the Quidditch Cup this year," added James.

"So you think the ZoomBroom is cursed?" asked Professor Longbottom.

"We have to take that possibility seriously," said James firmly, "There are other possibilities. However, we have to assume the worst. I do NOT want Lily riding that broom unless it is checked out 1st."

"Nor do we," chorused Hugo and Devon.

"Very well then, I will take the ZoomBroom and see to it that it gets checked out. If it is jinx/curse free, then Miss Potter may have it back," promised Professor Longbottom.

James, Hugo, and Devon all let out immense sighs of relief and all 4 of them headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Upon entering, they found Lily sitting on a sofa with her new ZoomBroom spread across her lap just taking it in with a huge grin.

Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley were all admiring the ZoomBroom as well, looking at it with wide smiles.

"So, this is it?" Professor Longbottom asked Lily, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Dursley have informed me that you were sent a ZoomBroom anonymously."

"Indeed," said Lily simply.

"Miss Potter," said Professor Longbottom calmly, picking up the ZoomBroom, "I am going to have to take this. It must be inspected for curses and jinxes before it may be ridden. If it proves curse/jinx free, then you may have it back."

Professor Longbottom quickly left Gryffindor Tower to avoid any potential argument with Lily. But it wasn't Lily who was mad.

'YOU ASSHOLES!" Samantha screamed at James, Hugo, and Devon, "LILY HAD THE GREATEST AND RAREST BROOM IN THE WORLD AND NOW BECAUSE YOU FUCKING JERKS INTERFERRED IT'S GONE! I'VE NEVER SEEN PEOPLE BE WORSE FRIENDS IN MY LIFE!"

"YOU 3 BASTARDS!" Stephanie shouted at James, Devon, and Hugo, "NOT ONLY HAVE YOU BETRAYED LILY BUT THE ENTIRE GRYFFINDOR TEAM! DEVON, WESLEY SHOULD KICK YOU OFF THE TEAM WHEN HE FINDS OUT WHAT YOU DID! I WILL SUGGEST THIS TO HIM! HE FOR 1, DOES CARE ABOUT GRYFFINODR!"

'HOW DARE YOU 3 BE A TURNCOAT TO YOUR OWN BIG SISTER, COUSIN, AND 2ND COUSIN," Ainsley yelled at James, Hugo, and Devon.

After Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley had stopped yelling, James, Hugo, and Devon attempted to explain where they were coming from.

"You have to be suspicious of any rare and expensive gift that is sent anonymously," said James defensively, "If Lily had ridden that broom and it had proven to be jinxed or cursed and Lily had gotten killed or seriously hurt, I could have never have lived with myself for not getting involved, knowing my suspicions."

"You have to remember that the Potters have a lot of enemies who would like nothing more than to finish 1 of them off," explained Hugo, "Sending a cursed broom anonymously would be a perfect avenue to achieve such a thing,"

"Consider too that murdering Harry Potter's daughter would be a great way for a fame seeker to get what he or she wants. They could have set it up in this way hoping that it works now with the idea of taking the credit later," said Devon clearly.

"Consider also that the opposing houses supporters would have a reason to not want Lily to be able to play in the Quidditch matches this season, suggested James, "A Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin fanatic could have facilitated sending Lily a jinxed broom in the hopes of knocking Gryffindor's Seeker out of the Quidditch season."

"With all those possibilities, it would have been horribly irresponsible for those of us who are suspicious not to have acted," said Hugo fiercely.

"Exactly," agreed James and Devon.

"DON'T TRY TO DEFEND YOUR BACKSTABBING WAYS!" roared Samantha, "ALL 3 OF YOU HAVE SLAPPED LILY IN THE FACE BY YOUR MEDDLING!"

"YOU 3 HAVE ALL SLAPPED GRYFFINODR IN THE FACE AS WELL!" bellowed Stephanie, "WE COULD HAVE HAD A ZOOMBROOM ON OUR TEAM AND THANKS TO YOU 3 INTERFERING BASATRDS WE'VE LOST THAT OPPORTUNITY!"

"FUCK ALL 3 OF YOU BUT ESPICALLY FUCK DEVON. YOUR BETRAYAL IS THE WORST BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY ON THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM!" yelled Ainsley, "STEPHANIE IS RIGHT! DEVON SHOUD BE OFF THE TEAM!"

Samantha mouthed "CC" under her breath to Stephanie and Ainsley and they got the hint.

Samantha pointed her wand at James, Stephanie pointed her wand at Devon, and Ainsley pointed her wand at Hugo.

"Crucio!" cried Samantha, Stephanie , and Ainsley at the same time.

James, Hugo, and Devon all screamed involuntarily, then dropped to the floor as they withered in pain.

After the curse wore off, James, Hugo, and Devon stood up only to have had Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley throw heavy dictionaries at them and hit them in the back.

Finally, Samantha screamed, 'THIS IS WHAT WE TRUE GRYFFINDORS THINK OF THE FUCKING TRAITORS!" and Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley each took turns spitting in James's, Devon's, and Hugo's faces so that each was spat on 3 times. Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie then stormed out of the common room and headed for their own rooms.

James turned to Lily, who was still sitting on the couch, and pleaded for her to understand.

"Lily," said James in a low and uneasy voice, "Look, we.."

But he couldn't seem to think of what to say.

Lily drew herself up off the couch and now stood facing the 3 people she was closest to.

Seeing the nervous looks on James's, Hugo's, and Devon's faces and knowing perfectly well how Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha had just treated them, Lily walked up to James, Hugo, and Devon 1 at a time and gave them each massive hugs.

James, Hugo, and Devon felt instantly relived. Lily was not angry with them.

"James, Hugo, and Devon," said Lily in a kind and gentle voice, "Thank you. Thank you for caring enough about me to take your concerns to Professor Longbottom. I was so excited to receive a ZoomBroom that I got caught up in it and it didn't even register with me that maybe I should be more cautious with an anonymous gift, especially a rare and expensive 1. Thank you for looking after me and stopping me from doing something really stupid. The ZoomBroom may be cursed or it may be okay. Either way, getting it checked out before anyone rides it is the only sensible way to go."

James, Hugo, and Devon all gave Lily small smiles.

"James, Hugo, Devon," continued Lily, "You 3 proved by looking out for me by going to Professor Longbottom how much you care about me and how you love me and I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate that."

"We couldn't have lived with ourselves if we hadn't taken action and you had gotten hurt or worse," said James firmly.

"Don't worry about the girls,"said Lily, "1ce they have calmed down from their initial reaction I hope they will understand."

No such luck would occur.

Next morning when James, Hugo, and Devon tried to greet Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie in the common room, the girls gave the boys very dirty looks and walked away without a word. When the girls saw that Lily seemed to be supporting the boys, they gave her dirty looks as well. And that wasn't the end of it.

At breakfast, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie chose seats as far away from James, Hugo, Devon, and Lily as possible.

But the depths of how angry the girls were with the boys and how deep the rift ran wouldn't be fully seen until the morning mail came.

3 owls swooped down and dropped red envelopes on the laps of James, Hugo, and Devon.

James, Hugo, and Devon knew at once that these were Howlers and that it would be worse if they didn't open them straight away and so they did.

James's Howler featured Stephanie's earsplitting voice.

JAMES SIRIUS POTTER YOU INTEFERING ASSHOLE! YOU ARE THE WORST BROTHER ANY GIRL COULD HOPE FOR! POOR LILY MUST BE CURSED TO BE STUCK WITH YOU AS A SIBLING! AND YOU 'VE SCREWED GRYFFINDOR OVER AS WELL! I DO NOT EVER WANT TO TALK TO YOU OR HANG OUT WITH YOU AGAIN! YOU FUCKING TURNCOAT! NEITHER DO SAMANTHA AND AINSLEY! YOU HAVE FOREFITED OUR FREINDSHIP FOREVER!

Hugo's Howler was bellowed by Samantha.

HUGO GRANGER WEASLEY! YOU ARE A TERRIBLE FRIEND AND A TERRIBLE COUSIN! LILY HAS TRUSTED YOU ALL OF BOTH OF YOUR LIVES AND YOU BREECHED THAT TRUST WITH YOUR INEXCUSBLE MEDDLING! LILY SHOULD RENOUNCE YOU AND DECLARE YOU ARE NO COUSIN OF HERS! AND THE WAY YOU BETRAYED GRYYFINDOR BY STICKING YOUR NOSE WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG IS JUST AS BAD! I DON'T EVER WANT TO SPEAK WITH YOU AGAIN NOR DEAL WITH YOU IN ANY SHAPE WAY OR FORM! NEITHER DO STEPHANIE AND AINSLEY! YOU HAVE FOREFITED OUR FREINDSHIP FOREVER!

Devon's Howler had Ainsley's venting.

DEVON DUDLEY DURSLEY! I CAN'T BELIEVE THE WAY YOU TREATED POOR LILY LAST NIGHT! IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU TURNED ON YOUR 2ND COUSIN AND SUPPOSEDLY BFF! BUT TO PULL WHAT YOU DID AFTER EVERYTHING LILY HAS DONE FOR YOU SINCE THE DAY YOU MET HER IS NOTHING SHORT OF DISGRCAEFUL! I DON'T EVER WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU EVER AGIAN AND NOR DO SAMANTHA AND STEPHANIE! YOU HAVE FOREFITED OUR FREINDSHIP FOREVER! HERE'S WHAT WE THINK OF YOU!

At that nanosecond, 3 more owls swooped down and dropped bags of undiluted Bubtubber Pus into the hands of James, Hugo, and Devon.

As intended by the way Ainsley had charmed the bags, the bags split upon contact with the boys hands and James, Hugo, and Devon all let out yelps of pain as their hands were drenched in undiluted Bubtubber Pus.

Lily took James, Hugo, and Devon up to the hospital wing for treatment.

Madam Pomfrey was able to handle the Pus situation quickly, but the boys were emotional wrecks. The loss of the girls friendship had hit them hard and the girls couldn't have been clearer in their Howlers that the boys friendships with them were over permanently.

After they left the hospital, Lily saw that James, Hugo, and Devon were all in tears and she invited them into her room.

Lily closed the door to her room and locked the door. She then put up Privacy Charms so that they wouldn't be disturbed.

"James, Hugo, and Devon, how are you feeling?' asked Lily patiently.

"H-hurt," sobbed James, "To lose 3 friendships only because I w-was l-looking after my sister s-stings like being stabbed by 1000 knives at once."

"Also it w-was so sudden. We w-went from the girls b-being our friends to l-losing their friendship j-just like that," cried Hugo, "It's n-not like our friendships w-were strained or falling apart. We boys l-lost the g-girls friendship j-just like that."

"I c-can't believe that Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie w-would e-end our friendships," a tear stricken Devon explained, "Being angry is 1 thing, but t-to permanently e-end our friendships over 1 t-thing,"

"James, Devon, Hugo, please sit down in a row on my bed," requested Lily.

James, Hugo, and Devon did sit down in a row on Lily's bed and then Lily laid herself across their laps so that they could take turns stroking her hair.

This was a great release and a great source of comfort for the boys and after 5 minutes of this their tears had evaporated and they felt better.

Lily pulled herself up and James, Hugo, and Devon stood up as well.

"James, Hugo, and Devon," said Lily encouragingly, "Don't give up hope. I know how angry Ainsley, Samantha and Stephanie are with you right now. But they will cool down. They will be your friends again in the future."

James, Hugo, and Devon trusted Lily but also thought she was predicting a miracle. There was no denying the genuine anger that Samantha, Ainsley, and Stephanie had towards James, Hugo, and Devon.

For their part James, Hugo, Devon, and Lily all believed that caring about Gryffindor was a major factor in the girls anger. They also knew that Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie thought about how pissed off they would be if another person's interference cost them a prized possession and that they therefore empathized with Lily over her losing the ZoomBroom.

But the boys felt certain that they acted for the best. Knowing their suspicions about all the different possibilities of why Lily would have received an anonymous ZoomBroom, they knew that they had to act. Lily's life and health were MUCH more important than Quidditch, Gryffindor, or even friendship. IF losing friendships was the price of protecting Lily, it was a price they had to pay.

On Sunday, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie again choose seats as far away from James, Hugo, and Devon as possible at meals. The worst of their anger may have subsided but James, Devon, and Hugo didn't see much hope for regaining their friendship.

When Fred and Roxanne returned to Hogwarts on Sunday night and heard what had happened in the Gryffindor Common Room from Lily, the boy-girl split only furthered.

"James, Hugo, Devon," said Fred proudly as Lily explained what had happened, "You were quite right to take action. The ZoomBroom may be cursed and it may not. But better safe than sorry. Great job looking after Lily, boys. Had I been here on Friday I'd have joined too."

Roxanne, however felt rather differently. She was disgusted that the opportunity to have ZoomBroom on the Gryffindor Quidditch team had been snatched away by what she saw as 3 boys who had too much worrywart in them. She gave James, Hugo, Devon, and Fred (who clearly had agreed with their action) dirty looks and went up to her room.

Lily, however, faced James, Hugo, Devon, and Fred, and said softly, "Thanks, boys. Thanks for caring about me, thanks for looking after me, and thanks for being proactive in looking after me. And don't worry, the girls will come around. I know they will."


	46. Results and Reconciliation

For the next week it seemed that while the worst of the girls anger was naturally abating, they were also serious about ending their friendships with the boys.

Ainsley, Stephanie. Samantha, and Roxanne continued to choose seats as far away from James, Hugo, Devon, and Fred as possible at all mealtimes and the girls wouldn't talk to the boys during Quidditch practice either.

Lily was heartbroken by the rift between her boys and her girls and she desperately wished she could heal it. However, she knew that putting herself in the middle of it would not do any good. All she could really do was hope that Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Roxanne would come around in time or that the inspection of the ZoomBroom would be finished soon.

If the ZoomBroom was not cursed, then surely the girls would realize that the boys hadn't done any damage by going to Professor Longbottom. If the ZoomBroom was cursed, the girls would realize that the boys had done the right thing in going to Professor Longbottom.

Fortunately, the inspection of the ZoomBroom was finished on Friday evening. Professor Longbottom sent owls to James, Fred, Hugo, Devon, Roxanne, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily to meet him on the Quidditch pitch on Saturday, September 26th, 2020 at 6 a.m. Hogwarts time.

When James, Fred, Hugo, Devon, Roxanne, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily arrived on the Quidditch Pitch the next morning, Professor Longbottom was holding Lily's ZoomBroom and had a very serious expression on his face.

"James, Fred, Hugo, Devon, Roxanne, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily" said Professor Longbottom clearly, "it is time for me to inform you all of the results of the inspection of Lily's ZoomBroom,"

There was a minute of tense silence and Professor Longbottom said slowly, "Miss Potter, I have bad news and good news. The bad news is that a Hurling Hex has been discovered on your ZoomBroom. The good news is that Professor Flitwick will be able to remove the Hurling Hex and after he does so you will be allowed to keep the ZoomBroom. An Investigation is also being opened as to who sent you a jinxed ZoomBroom and why. Before Professor Flitwick removes the Hurling Hex, I want to demonstrate its effects."

Everyone felt a nasty sense of foreboding. Professor Longbottom was the only person present who knew what a Hurling Hex looked like. Even people who grew up in Wizarding households were mostly ignorant about the ways brooms could be tampered with. Only those witches and wizards who went on to play Professional Quidditch and people in certain positions of authority ever learned about this.

Having no idea what to expect but knowing it would be terrible was casting a grave feeling amongst the octet of students present.

Professor Longbottom pulled his wand out of his right hand pocket and cried "Accio dummy!"

A dummy came zooming into Professor Longbottom's hand and he explained, "I'm going to use this dummy to demonstrate what would have happened if Miss Potter would have ridden this broom without us inspecting it."

Professor Longbottom attached the dummy he had summoned to the ZoomBroom and used a Levitation Charm to start the ZoomBroom airborne. When the ZoomBroom had achieved a height of 50 feet, it suddenly gave a very violent shake of it's own accord and ruthlessly tossed the dummy off. The dummy hit the ground hard and broke into many pieces.

"Yikes!" said Lily in a bone chilling voice as she shook like a leaf, "So if I would have ridden the ZoomBroom in its current state, it would have bucked me off and I would have died?"

"It is highly unlikely that even a witch's or wizard's magic could save his or her life from a fall of that height and suddenness, even with a soft landing surface," answered Professor Longbottom uneasily, "There is a 99% chance you would have died had you flown this broom without us inspecting it."

"Wow," said Lily shakily, "I came very close to flying that broom without it being checked out. Lucky is a severe understatement to describe how fortunate I am to have escaped my own carelessness."

Lily took a minute and a nanosecond to compose herself. When she had gotten over her chills, Lily was overcome with a new emotion and she burst into heavy and constant tears. Upon the formation of these tears, she went up and hugged James, Hugo, and Devon in turn.

"J-James H-Hugo D-D-Devon," said Lily as she was overcome with emotion, "T-thank you. I am forever indebted to all 3 of you. You l-literally s-saved m-me from myself by g-going to Professor Longbottom and n-not letting me d-do anything r-rash or s-stupid."

"That's what having a good support system is all about," said Fred as he gave James a proud nod and smile, "Sometimes being a loyal and loving family member and/or friend means having to look after people when they don't realize they have to look after themselves. That's why Lily is so lucky to have people like James, Hugo, and Devon in her life."

Lily nodded.

"Well said, Fred," agreed Lily in a very heartfelt voice, "It's chilling to know how close I came to doing something retarded. But it's also a special feeling to know that people like James, Hugo, and Devon care so much about me that they are constantly looking after me."

"Big sis," said James in a sincere voice, "I love you with all my heart and as I said before, I couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't gone to Professor Longbottom with my suspicions and something had happened to you."

James and Lily exchanged a very genuine hug that went on for several minutes and then Hugo spoke up.

"To my closest cousin and BFF," said Hugo meaningfully, "We've been best buddies since we were babies. I can't imagine my world without you. I think I also speak for James and Devon when I say that when we went to Professottom we were only doing what any truly loving and caring person would have done."

James and Devon both nodded.

"Absolutely," agreed Devon, "I know how devastated I would have been if we wouldn't have gone to Professor Longbottom and something terrible would have cost Lily her life or gotten her seriously hurt. This devastation would have also been magnified by the guilt I would have felt as I shared James's and Hugo's suspicious feelings from the beginning."

"By the way," said Lily matter of factly, "Let's not worry about the investigation right now because it does us no good to speculate. Let the adults do their jobs and when they have more information for us we'll confront it then. For now the important thing is that, thanks to James, Hugo, and Devon, I'm alive, safe, and healthy."

"Hey, Lily," said Roxanne sadly, "When Fred and I returned and we learned what had happened I was unhappy with the boys for what I saw as interference and sticking their noses where they didn't belong whereas Fred insisted that the boys had acted for the best. As a Gryffindor Chaser I was ticked that the boys interference was going to cost the Gryffindor Quidditch team a ZoomBroom. I was being really selfish in caring more about the team for my own selfish reasons than about the well being of my own cousin. Lily, I know we aren't very close. As you know, I'm mostly a loner expect for being somewhat close with my brother, Fred. But, close or not, I should have been more concerned about the well being of my own cousin. Lily, I apologize for my attitude and misplaced priorities. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"Hey, Roxanne, I accept your apology. I assure you there are no hard feelings on my side." said Lily politely.

"You weren't nearly as bad the rest of we girls," said Ainsley honestly, "When Professor Longbottom came and took the ZoomBroom and told us that James, Hugo, and Devon had informed him that Lily had been sent a ZoomBroom, Stephanie, Samantha, and myself treated James, Hugo, and Devon as horribly as any people could treat any other people. That night we put the Cruiatus Curse on James, Hugo, and Devon, yelled at them, threw dictionaries at their backs, and even spat in their faces. Next morning we sent them Howlers and undiluted bubtubber pus. And that's not even the worst of it."

"What is the worst of it?" asked Roxanne.

Ainsley had a very heartbroken look come across her face and she began to cry.

"Stephanie, Samantha, and I ended our friendships with James, Hugo, and Devon. Only because they were looking out for the person they love most. And they turned out to be right. Obviously I feel terrible about how we girls treated the boys after seeing what their action of informing Professor Longbottom of Lily receiving the ZoomBroom anonymously prevented. James, Hugo, and Devon are heroes. I also have a huge feeling of regret. Regardless of the fact that James, Hugo, and Devon did the absolute right thing regardless of the results of the tests, it's really sad that Stephanie, Samantha, and myself threw away our friendships with James, Hugo, and Devon over a broomstick, even 1 as good as a ZoomBroom."

"Ainsley," said Lily proddingingly, "You are acting as if the rift between the boys and the girls has to be permanent. It doesn't. There's no reason that Stephanie, Samantha, and yourself can't regain the friendships of James, Hugo, and Devon. If you want to make up with them I see no reason why you can't"

"Do you really think James, Hugo, and Devon will ever forgive Stephanie, Samantha, and myself after-, " began Ainsley in an uncertain voice.

"I know they will," said Lily confidently.

As if on cue, James, Hugo, and Devon all walked to Ainsley and took turns hugging her.

"Ainsley, you're 1 of the warmest, funnest, and funniest people I have ever met." said Hugo warmly, "I've missed you. Of course I want to be your friend again. Forgive and move on."

"Well said, Hugo," concurred Devon, "I mean your pranks are anywhere from fun to hysterical, you have a joyous personality that is infectious, and you are the best Transfiguration student in our year by a landslide. I welcome the return of your friendship. People say and do things in the heat of the moment they wish they could take back later. But true friendship doesn't mean that you never wrong friends. It means being able and willing to forgive your friends when they've wronged you. We love you and we are more than happy to welcome you back into our circle."

"Hugo and Devon are spot on here," added James, "Ainsley, you're a lot a bigger and better person than just 1 week. This won't define you The best thing you can do now is to forgive yourself. Carrying guilt is far worse than carrying grudges."

Overcome with emotion, Ainsley dropped to the grass and sobbed for a few minutes and a few nanoseconds. When she pulled herself up, she went and hugged James, Hugo, and Devon.

"James, Hugo, Devon," said Ainsley weakly, "Thank you. It means more than I can say that you not only have forgiven me for the horrible way I treated you but that you whole heartedly want to be my friend again. I -I. Well, thanks."

"Welcome back Ainsley," said Hugo happily, patting her on the back.

"Our lives are far better with you in them," Devon told Ainsley as he messed up her hair.

"We are now wholer again that you are our friend again," James told Ainsley as he chest bumped her.

Ainsley smiled. She was glad the rift was behind them and the boys were her friends again.

"James, Hugo, Devon," said Stephanie in a repentant kind of voice, "Look I'm really sorry about my role in the rift between the boys and the girls and my role in our in our inexcusable actions against you. I too wish to regain your friendship. I am going to put out my right hand. Please shake my right hand if you have both forgiven me and wish to have me back as a friend."

Stephanie stuck out her right and James, Hugo, and Devon all took turns giving it a hearty shake.

"Stephanie, we accept your apology and we're more than ready to be your friends again," said Devon in welcoming voice.

"What's done is done," Hugo told Stephanie clearly, "True friendships have to survive the test of rifts from time to time,"

""Stephanie," said James, "Let it go. It's in the past. 1 bad week doesn't erase a whole good year and I know there are many more good years to come."

"James, Hugo, Devon, you 3 are class acts and people of character and your willingness to forgive we girls for how we treated you in the aftermath of our visit with Professor Longbottom is proof of that," said Stephanie meaningfully, "You boys should be very proud of the kinds of people you are."

"Now our group is back together again and things will go back to the way they were," said Samantha matter of factly. Samantha clearly expected to be forgiven without having to apologize for or acknowledge her role in the girls treatment of the boys and their rift. Samantha was completely immune from feeling guilt so she didn't feel the way Ainsley and Stephanie did. She just expected things to go back to normal just like that now that the issue was resolved.

"Professor Longbottom?" asked Lily, "Did you say that the Hurling Hex could be removed?"

"Absolutely, Miss Potter," beamed Professor Longbottom.

"I'm not so sure I want to use the ZoomBroom even after the Hurling Hex is removed," said Lily uneasily, "I don't know that I want to use a broom that I know was meant to harm me. Plus I'm not sure that I want to use a broom that was given to me by an enemy, whatever type and magnitude of enemy they might be. My Firebolt 2000 is still a great racing broom and as it was a Christmas present from James the year before I started Hogwarts, it has emotional significance to me as well. "

"Miss Potter," said Professor Longbottom firmly, "I will have Professor Flitwick remove the Hurling Hex and you can make a final choice at that time whether you wish to use the ZoomBroom."

"Please do use the ZoomBroom 1ce the Hurling Hex is removed," said Samantha pleadingly, "If we have our Seeker using a ZoomBroom, there's no way we don't win the Quidditch Cup. That's far more important than sentimental values."

Lily sighed.

"I will consider it," said Lily in a non committal voice.

They all spent the rest of the day together just enjoying each other's company. They spent the rest of the morning through lunch chatting and catching up. Then after lunch they all took off their clothes and swan naked together in the Black Lake. To Ainsley's delight. they all decided to go into the Great Hall for dinner naked as well.

For Lily, the predominant feeling was 1 of relief. She was relived to know the results of the tests on her ZoomBroom had in fact found a Hurling Hex and she was relived to know that the girls and the boys were friends again. She would worry about the other things down the road. For now, she was just so glad that all her friends were friends again.

A/N: This and the previous chapter were inspired by 2 events from the books: Harry receiving the Firebolt anonymously in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Bode being murdered via an anonymous plant in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I always thought Hermione was right to be suspicious of the Firebolt in POA under the premise that any anonymous gift should be viewed suspiciously (The murder of Bode via an anonymous gift in OOTP is proof of that.) I was also disappointed in POA that Harry was angry with Hermione over the Firebolt. Considering everyone's belief at that time that a mass murderer was after Harry, it made sense that the suspicions of a smart and logical person like Hermione would be roused by an anonymous gift to Harry, especially a highly desirable and expensive 1 . Hermione did the right thing by going to McGonagall and making sure Harry didn't fly the Firebolt without it being checked out 1st. The fact that the Firebolt proved to have nothing wrong with doesn't change the fact that Hermione did the right thing insisting on caution with an anonymous gift, especially a really expensive 1. I was always disappointed in Harry's character in that instance for being angry with Hermione for caring about him and trying to help him.


	47. Vernon's Venom

In the aftermath of Lily's ZoomBroom testing positive for a Hurling Hex and the investigation that had been opened, Professor Longbottom made the decision the next day to postpone the removal of the curse until such time as the investigation was closed.

Lily was just fine with this. In fact, she was leaning more and more towards continuing to use her Firebolt even if her ZoomBroom was eventually dehexed and returned to her. The emotional pull of her Firebolt having been a Christmas present from James the year before she'd started at Hogwarts was very strong. Furthermore, the more she thought about the ZoomBroom, the more she despised the idea of using it. Even if it could be dehexed and returned to her and even if she could then use it safely, she was finding the very thought of using a broom that she knew had been meant to harm her repugnant and repulsive.

On Sunday, September 27th, 2020 at 1 p.m. Hogwarts time, it was 1ce again time for James, Albus, Devon, and Lily to meet in the Room of Requirement to learn about Potter-Dursley family history.

Owing to the emotionally difficult time that James, Devon, and Lily had been going through the prior week, the Room of Requirement had instructed James, Albus, Devon, and Lily to use the prior week's meeting for review only.

This week's meeting would cover the person was ultimately most responsible for the enmity between the Potters and the Dursleys reaching the level that it dd.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all turned their Potter-Dursley family history books to chapter 9. Chapter 9 was titled Vernon's Venom.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily read:

For his entire life, Vernon Dursley had always been a person who had despised anything even remotely strange, mysterious. abnormal, unusual, or even remotely out of the ordinary. Even as a very little boy, Vernon Dursley was such a stickler for normality that he hated cartoons and comics due to their portrayal of objects and animals behaving in ways in which they did not in real life. As a muggle who had grown up with 0 knowledge of the existence of the Wizarding World, Vernon would come to hate witches, wizards, wands, and magic because of how abnormal and therefore freakish he viewed them as. Vernon would ultimately grow up to be the opposite of the pureblood supremacists in the magical community. It must be said that Vernon's prejudices against and bigotry towards witches and wizards were ultimately just as bad as the prejudices and bigotry that the pure blood supremacists in the magical community have against muggles and muggleborns. It amounts to the same thing; Those who are different from me are inferior to me and should be treated as such. Simple human decency should make it clear how disgusting this is. At the end of the day, all people are people and that's what should matter. Sadly, Vernon did not merely fear magic and magical people; he genuinely hated them. Vernon Dursley can also be said to be a very materialistic man. He was always a person who valued having the biggest and the best (especially when it came to cars.) and was known to be boastful of his high end possessions. Vernon had never been a person who placed much value on love or affection and as such he never really provide much to Dudley. While it is true that Vernon both spoiled and favored Dudley and allowed him to bully other children, especially Harry, without fear of discipline, Vernon didn't really give Dudley much love or much affection. What capacity for love and affection Dudley does posses, he got from his mother, Petunia Dursley nee Evans. With her resentful and bitter feelings towards the magical community due to her jealousy of her sister, Petunia was more than happy to marry into a an all muggle family. She proved to be compatible with Vernon and they ended up getting married. After her marriage to Vernon, Petunia started to pretend she didn't have a sister, a pretense that Vernon encouraged. In mid 1980, Petunia gave birth to the couple's only child, their son Dudley Dursley. The birth of Dudley had been 1 of the proudest days of Vernon's life and 1 of the happiest days of Petunia's life. For the 1st year and few months after Dudley's birth, the Dursleys couldn't have been happier with their lot in life. Vernon had a well paying job that he loved and could throw himself into, Petunia was a happy stay at home mom, the Dursleys were easily able to make ends meet, and thanks to Petunia's efforts, the Dursleys had the cleanest house ever known to exist. But the Dursleys world was flipped upside following Halloween of 1981. After Lily Potter nee Evans had sacrificed herself for her son Harry, Voldemort had been unable to kill baby Harry Potter and had lost his powers and fled when his Killing Curse had rebounded onto himself. Dumbledore, making Harry's survival his top priority, had placed Harry Potter in the Dursleys care because Petunia had been Lily's only surviving relative. Because Petunia was Lily's sister, being able to call the place where her blood flowed "home" had given Harry very powerful protection until he had come of age. Dumbledore had known that Harry would be treated poorly at the Dursleys but realized that he had to do what would make Harry safe as he knew that the Dark Lord would rise again. Dumbledore had written Petunia a letter and left it on the doorstep with baby Harry wrapped in blankets. When Petunia had found baby Harry on her doorstep the very next morning, she had been furious. However, she had just enough sisterly love left for Lily that she would not Lily's son die on her account. Therefore, after reading Dumbledore's letter explaining about how taking Harry in would give Harry powerful blood protection, she agreed to do so though she was very bitter about doing so. Vernon had wanted to toss baby Harry into the nearest dumpster and be done with it, but Petunia managed with some effort to convince Vernon to allow Harry houseroom. The key to convincing Vernon to allow Harry to be taken into their home was to present the idea that they could "stamp out" Harry's "abnormality" by keeping him downtrodden. Unfortunately for the Dursleys, Petunia had activated a binding magical contract when she had taken Harry in. While Petunia had no intentions of ever being nice to Harry or of giving him love or affection, her treatment of Harry became far worse than it might have been so that she could stay in Vernon's good graces and protect her marriage. As a child. the Dursleys had forced Harry to do adult tasks such as washing dishes, doing laundry, mowing lawns, pruning bushes, cleaning cars and windows, and cooking. Worse than having to do adult tasks was the punishments Harry would receive if the work was even slightly off. Even very slightly burnt bacon meant a whack on the back with a frying pan for Harry. Then there was Vernon's absolute intolerance of Harry's accidental magic. As is often the case with young witches wizards, Harry had his share of bursts of accidental magic. These incidents led to anything from corporal punishment from Vernon's belt to the withholding of meals to being shut up in his "room" for over a week at a time. This "room" was nothing more than the cupboard under the stairs and it had been a cramped childhood for Harry. Vernon was also completely unwilling to spend any money on Harry. Harry's only clothes were hand me downs from Dudley that were way too big for him and he had never provided Harry with the dental and medical care that he needed. It had been both a relief and a horror for Vernon when Harry went off to Hogwarts. On 1 hand, the shame of being unable to squash Harry's magic out of him had been unbearable. On the other hand, Harry being away at boarding school got him out of the house and left Vernon, Dudley and Petunia to be their own happy family. To Vernon's horror, he and his wife and son had been forced to go into hiding with the Order of the Phoenix during the 2nd Wizarding War. Lord Voldemort had known that Harry's protection would break on his 17th birthday and the Dursleys had to abandon the house in case Voldemort targeted Harry there. After Voldemort's death, Vernon and Petunia had returned to 4 Privet Drive as empty nesters. Dudley had gone away to college in the United States and when he had returned home he had married Debra Dursley nee Bennett. Eventually, Debra would give birth to her and Dudley's only child, their son Devon. This was the event that was the catalyst for Vernon abandoning the family. At 1st, Devon Dursley seemed like another typical Dursley. He had shown no signs of magic as a baby. However, at age 6, during the summer before he started 1st grade, a frustrated Devon who had misplaced his favorite toy train managed to summon his toy train back to himself without realizing how he'd done it. Dudley, who had been in Devon's room at the time, knew then that his son was a wizard. He had then informed Debra about the magical community and written to Vernon and Petunia to explain the situation. A few days later, Vernon and Petunia had visited Dudley, Debra, and Devon. As it so happened, during this visit, Devon had been reading a book and had set the book down to get a soda from the fridge. When Devon came back to his book, he saw that he hadn't put a bookmark in it. As Devon seemed irritated, the book seemingly opened itself of its own accord to exactly the page Devon had left off at. Recognizing Devon was indeed a wizard, Vernon had ranted about how Devon was a "freak" and had encouraged Petunia, Dudley, and Debra to disown Devon. To Vernon's fury, Petunia, Dudley and Debra all professed their unconditional love for their son/grandson and made it clear they were with Devon 100%. At this point, Vernon disowned his entire family and spent the rest of his life pouring himself into his work. This life gave Vernon more pleasure than marriage or parenthood ever had and he had felt unburdened as he worked tirelessly at Grunnings. While Petunia had been a bit sad at her husband's abandonment, Devon was coldly indifferent to it. Devon Dursley was a very perceptive boy and when he had visited grandpa and grandma's house and they had visited his it had been clear to him that grandma Petunia truly loved him with all her heart whereas grandpa Vernon hadn't really cared much for him. As a young boy Devon had been unaware that Vernon didn't really care about anyone. But, having realized though observation that Vernon didn't care about him, Devon had always had the attitude that he shouldn't care about Vernon if Vernon didn't care about him. 2 years after abandoning his family, Vernon died from a stress induced heart attack that was attributed to overwork. After Vernon left the family, Petunia lived alone at 4 Privet Drive until her death from injuries related to a fall down the stairs in September of 2019. Devon, meanwhile, would play a key role in healing the wounds between the Potters and the Dursleys as will be seen in chapter 10.

"I'm just going to be honest," said Devon matter of factly, "Even if he was my grandfather, I not only have no sympathy for Vernon that he died, but, I feel, and it may not be the most appropriate thing to say, but I feel like Vernon got what he had coming to him."

"A man who would disown and abandon his entre family over his hatred of magic is not a person who deserves any tears shed for him," said James firmly.

"Damn straight, " said Devon fiercely, "And the book is 100% correct about how bad his bigotry was."

""The way he treated Harry makes me so mad," said Albus hotly, "To give out harsh and unfair punishments and then to not even give Harry a proper room.. Vernon Dursley was a right nasty piece of work."

"If you ask me," said Lily sadly, "Vernon is responsible for Petunia's death. Had Vernon not abandoned his wife, she wouldn't have been living alone when she fell down those stairs and Vernon could have called someone. Medical attention might have arrived in time to save her life."

"Vernon never cared about her," said Devon bitterly, "Or he wouldn't have abandoned her."

"It seems to me," said Lily slowly, "As though the only thing Vernon ever truly cared about was his work."

"This is sadly mostly true," admitted Devon, "And it really is true that I never felt anything when he left the family because I never felt loved by him in the 1st place."

"The bouts of accidental magic Devon is described as having are typical kinds of accidental magic," observed James.

"Vernon Dursley was a hateful bigoted and spiteful man," said Devon matter of factly, "Truthfully, we already all had some degree of knowledge of this topic."

"That's why there isn't much emotion here," said Albus, "We've just read about things we either knew or could have easily guessed."

"I'll be interested to see what chapter 10 says about me next week," said Devon, "I suspect some little detail I haven't thought of may come to our attention."

"You're probably right, Devon," agreed Lily.


	48. Lily's enemy and love for and from Lily

Olivander decided to postpone James's 1st attempt at actual Wandmaking until Monday October 5th, 2020. He used James's last 2 private lessons with him in September for review of the topics they had covered in their previous lessons. James was totally cool with this as he knew being well versed in all the topics related to Wandlore and Wandmaking before his actual Wandmaking attempt could only be helpful to him.

Meanwhile, on the Quidditch pitch, Devon had been struggling since he had won the Chaser trail over Hugo.

As Wesley had watched over practices, he had observed that Devon's goal shooting had been inconsistent.

Wesley wasn't worried that Devon couldn't put the Quaffle past Samantha. After all, Roxanne had never been able to put a Quaffle past Samantha in practice either and she had scored 14 goals in actual Quidditch matches the pervious season. Samantha was just a dominant Keeper who only Ainsley had ever beaten and even Ainsley could only put the Quaffle past Samantha very occasionally.

But he was concerned when he watched Devon shoot and saw that so many of his shots weren't coming that close to the hoops. But his biggest worry was that while Devon's shooting was inconsistent, his passing had been mostly poor. This was a serious problem because 1 Chaser with weak passing skills could bring the whole Chaser unit down.

After practice on the night of Thursday October 1st, 2020, Wesley asked Hugo, who had continued (along with James) to come to practices to support the team, and Devon for a word.

"Devon," said Wesley matter of factly, "Look you have not been playing well during practices since you joined the team. You have been inconsistent at best and I'm especially concerned about how you've been passing the Quaffle. My job as Gryffindor Quidditch Captain is to do whatever I can to put Gryffindor in position to give them the best chance to win. As such, Hugo, I am requesting you join team practices as a 4th Chaser starting next Tuesday. If you show me over the next month that you consistently play the Chaser position better than Devon, I will replace Devon with you as the 3rd Chaser in our 1st match."

"That's completely unfair to Devon," said Hugo firmly, "He beat me fair and square in trails. As such he deserves a shot at playing in a match before you consider a change."

"It's possible that Devon simply had a great day on trails day but isn't really that good of a player," said Wesley clearly, "That is what I fear may have happened."

"That possibility can't be ignored but there's also another possibility," argued Hugo, "Some players aren't good practice players but they are excellent game players. In winning the trial, Devon performed at his best when it counted most. What if Devon turns out not to practice well but to be an excellent in game player? You have to give him that chance. If Devon plays poorly in the actual match, then we can talk. But he deserves a chance to show if he can perform in a match. Unless you are in need of an extra player due to injury, I won't consider working out for the team as a replacement for Devon until he's had a chance to play in a game. If he plays poorly in the game, then we can talk about a potential change. I WON'T take Devon's place that he earned by beating me fair and square in trails unless he has a chance to actually play in a match 1st. Besides, with our Keeper and Seeker we'll win any match anyways."

"But my job-" began Wesley.

But Hugo turned his back on Wesley and walked off in a huff.

"Hugo, thanks, I really appracite you sticking up for me like that," said Devon sincerely.

"Devon, you deserve to be given the opportunity that you earned. If it doesn't work out we can make adjustments then but you absolutely deserve to have the chance that you earned." said Hugo fiercely.

Devon smiled at Hugo and Hugo smiled back at him.

James, as well as the rest of team, now came over to where Hugo and Devon were standing.

"Hugo, I'm really proud of what you just did," said Lily admiringly, "It would have been so easy for you jump at the opportunity that Wesley was presenting to you but you did what was right rather than what was easy. Good job, Hugo."

"Hugo has always been an honest and stand up guy," said James appreciatively, "I'm not surprised at all."

"You can usually count on Weasleys to be fair minded people," said Fred proudly as Roxanne nodded.

"I have mixed feelings," admitted Ainsley, "On 1 hand, I really respect Hugo's attitude here. On the other hand, doesn't Wesley have a point that it is his job to do what he believes will give Gryffindor the best chance to win the Quidditch Cup?"

"Don't worry about that," said Samantha boastfully, "Gryffindor still has the greatest Keeper to ever play Quidditch in Samantha Saver and Samantha Saver will make sure Gryffindor's opponents score 0 goals again this year just like last year."

"And with Lily on the team Gryffindor has the best Seeker as well," said James matter if factly, "If you have a Seeker you can count on to get the snitch AND combine that with a shutdown Keeper then the Chaser play isn't as critical, "But as a fairness nut, I'm 100% for Devon being given the chance to play in a match since he did win the Chaser trial fair and square."

"Devon absolutely deserves that chance," agreed Stephanie with a smile.

"Devon, you WILL perform exceptionally well in the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match and you WILL stay on the team, I know you will," said Lily with conviction.

"Thanks, everyone," said Devon warmly, "Especially Hugo for sticking up for me at his own expense and Lily for her absolute faith in me."

Everyone smiled at Devon.

Meanwhile, with Wesley, James, Hugo, Devon, Fred, Stephanie. Samantha, Ainsley, Roxanne, and Lily all still on the pitch, Professor Longbottom returned and was carrying Lily's ZoomBroom.

"Well, Miss Potter," said Professor Longbottom in a serious voice, "Our investigation is complete and the Hurling Hex has been removed. As it so happens, the results of our investigation have revealed that you being sent a cursed ZoomBroom had nothing to do with the Potters political enemies or enemies of the dark from the war. Instead, the sender's motivation had to do with the Quidditch house rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin and his personal dislike of you. Mr. Potter had suspected this as a possibility."

"Who was the sender?" asked Lily urgently.

"Phillip Edgecombe," answered Professor Longbottom.

"THAT ASSHOLE!" shouted James furiously, "THAT SAME ASSHOLE THAT TRIED TO HURT LILY DURING THE GRYFFINDOR-SLYTHERIN MATCH LAST YEAR!"

"How do you figure out that Edgecombe sent it?" asked Lily.

"Professor McGonagall has been in contact with people at Quality Quidditch Supplies," explained Professor Longbottom, "She inquired into who had purchased ZoomBrooms be it in store or by order form. Well, it turned out that Phillip Edgecombe, knowing how scarce ZoomBrooms are, had ordered and reserved a ZoomBroom. Well, we all remember what Mr. Edgecombe tried to do to you last year, Miss Potter. Professor McGonagall used Veritasiurium on Phillip Edgecombe and he confessed the truth under its effects. He used an order form to order the ZoomBroom but gave no indication of it being a gift. The ZoomBroom was sent to Mr. Edgecombe at Hogwarts per his order form's request. He then placed a Hurling Hex on it and used school owls to send it to you. He knew that his sinister intent would be suspected if he put his name on a gift to you. So he sent it to you anonymously with the expectation that you would be taken in by it and therefore not think about it being sent anonymously. What he hadn't counted on was the intervention of Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Dursley. Mr. Edgecombe takes the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry very seriously. He had hoped to improve Slytherin's chances against Gryffindor by taking you out of action. Furthermore, he had been very bitter when he had heard how well you had flown in your 1st flying lessons and that you had been made a Seeker for Gryffindor. Apparently, Mr. Edgecombe had performed extraordinary well in the Slytherin Seeker trial last year and had been sure that he would always be the best Seeker at Hogwarts while he was here. He felt that position threatened by you and hated you because of it. But the general Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry and how seriously Mr. Edgecombe takes it was his biggest motivation. He wanted to you out of action to improve Slytherin's chances of beating Gryffindor."

"I I can't believe that someone would want to hurt another person over a game," said Devon in a shocked voice.

"I've heard of people taking house rivalry too far before," said Hugo, "But I'm a bit stunned by this."

"If there's 1 person at Hogwarts I could plausibly believe would do such a thing, it's Edgecombe," admitted Lily.

"How will that asshole Edgecombe be punished? "asked James in a steely voice.

"He has been expelled from Hogwarts. He also faces up to 30 years in Azkaban for attempted murder."

"So we shouldn't have to worry about him again?" asked Fred.

"No you should not," answered Professor Longbottom.

"Professor Longbottom?" said Lily clearly, "I don't want to use the ZoomBroom. Even if I can now use it safely, it would be really eerie and uneasy for me to use a broom that I know was meant to harm me. Furthermore I do NOT want to use a broom that my enemy sent me. On top of that, the emotional pull of my Firebolt having been a Christmas present from James the year before I started Hogwarts is hard to give up. If the ZoomBroom can be used safely, I vote for donating to an underprivileged witch or wizard."

"You're the only 1 who has the right to decide, Miss Potter, " said Professor Longbottom calmly.

"Donate it, I don't want it," said Lily decisively, "I'm sticking with my Firebolt. Even independently of my queasiness about using a broom that I know was meant to hurt me or worse, well, I'll use my favorite brother's gift over a gift from an enemy any day of the week."

"Very well, Miss Potter, I will see to it that the ZoomBroom is donated to an underprivileged witch or wizard who has no knowledge of its history," promised Professor Longbottom and Professor Longbottom left.

"James, Hugo, Devon," said Lily sincerely, "I'm alive and well today because you 3 loved me and cared enough about me to look after me. I would like to sing you 3 a song to express what your love and support means to me. James, Hugo, Devon, I dedicate this song to you!"

And Lily sang:

"It must have been cold there in my shadow,  
To never have sunlight on your face.  
You were content to let me shine, that's your way.  
You always walked a step behind.

So I was the one with all the glory,  
While you were the one with all the strength.  
A beautiful face without a name for so long.  
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.

Did you ever know that you're my hero,  
And everything I would like to be?  
I can fly higher than an eagle,  
For you are the wind beneath my wings.

It might have appeared to go unnoticed,  
But I've got it all here in my heart.  
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.  
I would be nothing without you.

Did you ever know that you're my hero?  
You're everything I wish I could be.  
I can fly higher than an eagle,  
For you are the wind beneath my wings.

Did I ever tell you you're my hero?  
You're everything, everything I wish I could be.  
Oh, and I, I can fly higher than an eagle,  
For you are the wind beneath my wings,  
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

Oh, the wind beneath my wings.  
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings.  
Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high.  
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.  
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings."

By the end of Lily's song, James, Hugo, and Devon were all in tears. Lily's song had felt almost angelic. It felt as though they could feel her appreciation for their love inside of themselves.

Lily had had a tug of emotion and needed to release it and singing a song for James, Hugo, and Devon was the best way to do that.

Lily picked up her Firebolt and soared into the sky.

After gaining some height, Lily waved down at all the others.

They all smiled, glad the issue of the ZoomBroom was behind them, gratified by Lily's expression of emotion, and feeling good about the future.

Lily was soaring but she knew her future was only possible because of James, Hugo, and Devon. Their love and support had saved her.


	49. Assisting Albus Part 1

On Friday, October 2nd, 2020, at 10 a.m. Potter Manor time, Harry and Ginny heard the sound of someone coming into Potter Manor via their fireplace.

They looked over and saw that it was Parvati Patil that had just Flooed in. She was carrying a letter in her hands.

"Hi, Harry, Hi, Ginny," said Parvati politely, "May I please come in?"

"Yes, of course," said Harry kindly, "Come on in and make yourself comfortable."

Parvati stepped out of the fireplace and walked over to the kitchen table. Parvati pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.

"Harry, can we talk?" asked Parvati.

"Of course," said Harry, "Would you like something to drink?"

"Sprite, "said Parvati simply.

"Fetch me a 7up while you're at it," requested Ginny.

Harry went to the fridge and returned with a can of Sprite for Parvati. a can of 7up for Ginny, and a can Sierra Mist for himself. Harry then pulled out a chair and sat down at the kitchen table opposite Parvati while Ginny sat down next to him.

"Harry," said Parvati clearly, pointing at the letter in her hand, "This letter is the reason I have come. But before we get down to business, there's something I'd like to say to you."

"Okay, I'm listening," said Harry.

"Harry," said Parvati slowly, "I owe you an apology. I know I wasn't close to the only 1 to do this, but I was really mean to you in our 1st year after you lost those house points for being out of bed after hours. It was really out line for me to shun, badmouth, and be mean to you over something so petty. As I get older, especially after Voldemort rose again and the 2nd Wizarding War occurred, it became crystal clear to me how trivial things like house points and the house cup are. I would like to take this moment to apologize to you for the way I treated you in the latter part of our 1st year at Hogwarts."

"Parvati," said Harry firmly, "Loads of people act mean and/or immature over petty stuff at the ages of 11-13. People mature as they get older. I have never held any hard feelings towards any of the people who acted that way towards me in my 1st year. I accept your apology 100%. That said, as an adult, and as a father of 3 Hogwarts students, I must admit that I am NOT a fan of the House Cup or of the idea of a house points competition. I wish the competition between the houses was limited to the Quidditch pitch. We should be encouraging the houses to cooperate more and compete less. Furthermore, the very existence of the House Cup creates an avenue for the very pettiness we just talked about. Though I'm proud to say that James and Lily have friends in all 4 houses, a Slytherin girl in James's year named Megan Nash being prominent amongst them. Their close relationships are still with their family and friends in Gryffindor and that's to be expected."

"Students in the same house are always going to be closer because they will naturally spend more time together, sharing a common room, sharing classes, etc," said Parvati matter of factly.

"But I'm so proud of James's and Lily's open minded attitude," said Harry clearly, "Unfortunately, Albus has a very strong Anti Slytherin prejudice. He insists that Slytherin is the house of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort and that we should never forget that."

"I've heard that speech from Albus before when he's come over to my place to visit Pamela," acknowledged Parvati, "And it's actually about Albus that I need to talk to you. This letter is from Pamela and some of its content has me concerned about Albus and I think you may need to intervene."

Parvati handed Harry the letter and Ginny looked over Harry's shoulder to read it with him.

Dear Parvati

Hi, it's Pamela here! School is going well for Albus, Rose. and me and having Fridays be no class study/homework time is making managing homework much easier. Albus has been continuing to learn about his family history with his siblings James and Lily and his 2nd cousin Devon Dursley on Sunday afternoons. Rose and I have been using these Sunday afternoons for some girl time together. However, I am concerned about my friend Albus and that is my main focus in this letter. I am growing increasingly concerned about Albus's jealousy towards his brother and sister. Ever since James and Lily were announced as the co gold medalists of the Hogwarts Writing Competition, Albus has turned into a jealous zealot. He frequently whines and complains about how everything seems to happen for James and Lily while nothing ever happens for him. When I was visiting Potter Manor over the summer, I heard Devon trying to warn Albus against letting petty jealousy ruin his relationships with his siblings. After hearing Devon encourage Albus not to let his petty jealousy damage his relationships with his siblings, I made an effort of my own to get through to Albus that the worst thing he could do is to allow petty jealousy to damage his relationships with his siblings because he has great siblings. Both Devon's and my efforts proved unsuccessful and Albus seems to be more jealous of James and Lily by the day. While it must be acknowledged that James and Lily have always been much closer to each other than to Albus owing to James and Lily having interests and personalities that are much more aligned with each other's than with Albus's, Albus does seem more distant with his brother and sister than in the past. This has shown itself in ways such as the fact that, in the past, Albus would usually stop to greet James and/or Lily when they passed in the corridors or on the grounds whereas he has tended to ignore them most of the time this year. While he will still acknowledge James and Lily if they greet him 1st, there has not been a single time this year when Albus has been the 1 to greet James and/or Lily this year. This year, unless James and/or Lily see him and greet him 1st, he usually ignores them when their paths cross. Furthermore, in the past, when the topic would turn to James and Lily, Albus would talk warmly about what great siblings they were and about how much he loved them. While he has always been honest about the fact that he is not nearly as close with his brother and sister as they are with each other, in the past you always knew that he really did have that love for them. But ever since the winners of the Hogwarts Writing Competition were announced, his attitude towards James and Lily seems to have taken a very resentful turn that only seems to be getting worse. As previously mentioned, Albus now frequently whines and complains about how everything seems to happen to James and Lily while noting ever seems to happen to him. Furthermore, when he makes these complaints, the resentment and bitterness in his voice could not be more pronounced. Albus also likes to talk about how, although he doesn't know what career paths might interest him, that he definitely wants to do something that will get him noticed. I must admit that I am growing increasingly concerned about Albus and his relationships with his siblings. I think Albus's relationships with James and Lily are slowly but surely falling apart. I also don't think it helps the situation that James and Lily often call each other "My favorite sibling" and "My favorite brother." Albus has said that this doesn't bother him. He says that this is just James and Lily expressing affection for each other and that he knows that it is nothing against him. He says this is just about James and Lily being much closer with each other than with him. This may be true, but I'm not a fan of it. Even if Albus doesn't feel hurt by it, I think it sends a message, even if only subconsciously, that, hey, we are more important to each other than we are to you, and I think it helps further distance Albus from James and Lily. Albus has been 1 of my best friends since we met on the Hogwarts Express and I care about him. It would be a shame for Albus to ruin his relationships with his brother and sister over petty jealousy. However, at this point, I don't think I can help him because I don't think I can get through to him. I don't if anyone can. If you can give me any advice on how to help Albus, please tell me.

Your loving daughter.

\- Pamela.

"This is concerning," said Harry uneasily, "While it is true that Albus has never been as close with James and Lily as they are with each due to James's and Lily's interests and personalities being much more aligned with each other's than with Albus's, it is quite out of character for Albus to not greet and acknowledge James and Lily when he has the chance. And if he's often showing obvious resentment and bitterness about James and Lily having "everything happen to them" that means his jealousy coefficient is growing."

"I think I know what Albus needs," said Ginny clearly, "Harry, if I may ask, how do think the relationship between James and Lily would have been affected if it had been only 1 of them that had "everything happen to them" ?

"I don't think James's and Lily's relationship would have been affected at all," said Harry confidently, "If it had been only James that "everything happened to,", Lily would have still been very happy for him. Lily cares far more about others than about herself to a degree I've never known to be true of any other person. Lily is also the type of person to always be the bigger person. If it had been Lily that "everything happened to, well, while it is true that James is brash and has a high opinion of himself, I don't think he has much capacity for jealousy. But regardless of that, I just think James feels so close to Lily that he would never let such a circumstance affect his relationship with Lily because he values his relationship with Lily that much. I think James's and Lily's closeness with other would protected their relationship with each other even if some jealousy did exist in such a scenario. "

"Exactly, Harry. exactly," said Ginny firmly, "What I think Albus needs is a closer relationship with his siblings. No, he will never be as close with James and Lily as they are with each other. However, I do feel that Albus needs to have closer relationships with James and Lily than he does."

There was a minute and a nanosecond of silence before Hary let out an "OOOOOOOOH!"

"I know how Albus can develop closer relationships with James and Lily," said Harry confidently, "You're absolutely right that James and Lily will always be closer with each other than with Albus but I'm now sure I can talk to James, Albus, and Lily, and give them a gameplan that will allow Albus to build stronger bonds with James and Lily."

"I trust you to handle this situation," Ginny told Harry, "But I don't trust waiting much longer. I really think you should go to Hogwarts this evening and have your talk with James, Albus, and Lily in the Room of Requirement. The sooner this is addressed, the better."

"You're right Ginny, this needs to taken care of sooner rather than later. Therefore, I will go to Hogwarts this evening and attend to this issue," promised Harry.

"Good," replied Ginny.

"I'm in league with Pamela about not being a fan of James and Lily calling each other "my favorite sibling" and "my favorite brother", said Parvati clearly, "While it is only natural that some siblings will be closer than others, I have to imagine, that, even if Albus understands why James and Lily call each other "my favorite sibling" and "my favorite brother" and isn't offended by it, that it has to sting him a bit to hear his siblings calling each other "my favorite sibling" and "my favorite brother"."

"And there should be no such thing as a "favorite sibling," said Harry firmly, "While some siblings will indeed be closer than others, they should all love each other =ly. I will bring this up tonight as a part of my talk with James, Albus, and Lily."

"Parvati, thank you for brining this issue to our attention," said Ginny gratefully, "I think Harry knows what to do to resolve it."

"I know Pamela will be quite happy when it is," said Parvati proudly, "I glad she cared enough about her friend to express concern."

"I am glad she did," said Harry.

Later that night, Harry visited Hogwarts and went to the Great Hall near the end of dinnertime. After the students had eaten dinner, he called out "James, Albus, Lily,"

James, Albus, and Lily all saw Harry and looked at him in surprise.

"James, Albus, Lily," said Harry in a polite but no nonsense type voice, "Let's go up to the Room of Requirement. We need to talk."

James, Albus, and Lily all followed Harry to the Room of Requirement.

Harry walked past the wall 3 times thinking, "We need a place to talk in private," and the door to the Room of Requirement appeared. Lily opened the door and held it for James, Albus, and Harry before entering last herself. James, Albus, and Lily were all very surprised that Harry wanted to talk to them in the Room of Requirement and had come up to Hogwarts to do so. Thus, they waited for Harry to speak 1st.

Harry knew exactly what he had to do and he had very specific ways in mind for Albus to develop a closer bond with his brother and sister that he knew would stregngthen their relationship. He took a deep breath. looked straight at James, Albus, and Lily, and said...


	50. Assisting Albus Part 2

"James, Albus, and Lily," said Harry in a crystal clear voice, "Let's cut to the chase. I know that you, Albus, have never been as close with James and Lily as they are with each other. Because this is the result of James and Lily having personalities and interests that are much more aligned with each other's than with yours, I know that they will always be closer with each other than with you. However, Ginny and I feel that you need closer and stronger relationships with James and Lily than you currently have and I have a gameplan for you, James, and Lily to make that happen."

"Some siblings are closer than others and that's just the way it is," said Albus matter of factly, "I don't see this as a problem. Fred ad Roxanne are pretty close siblings whereas Rose and Hugo are siblings that are not close knit at all. I don't see James and Lily being much closer to each other than to me as an issue at all."

"Under normal circumstances it wouldn't be a problem at all.," said Harry calmly, "But Ginny and I have been made aware of something that makes us feel you need stronger bonds with James and Lily."

"What might this something be?" asked Albus.

"Albus, Parvati visited Potter Manor this morning and showed me a letter Pamela wrote to her. I wish for you to read this letter," Harry told Albus

Harry dug his hand into his right hand pocket, dug out Pamela's letter to Parvati, unfurled it, and handed it to Albus to read.

Albus read the letter with an expressionless look on his face. When he had finished reading the letter, Harry spoke to him.

"Ginny and I are of the opinion that closer and stronger relationships with James and Lily is the antidote to your jealousy and resentment of James and Lily for having "everything happen to them," said Harry firmly.

"The true antidote would be for something to actually to me for a change," said Albus bitterly.

"Albus," said Harry seriously, "While your high jealousy coefficient is undeniable, Ginny and I are in agreement that your jealousy of James and Lily would not have been so damaging of your relationships with them if you were closer to and more strongly bonded with them."

There was a minute and a nanosecond of silence before Albus responded.

"Harry," said Albus slowly, "It is possible and perhaps even likely that Ginny and you are right that having closer and stronger relationships with James and Lily may be what I need. I am more than open to trying to develop closer and stronger relationships with James and Lily. But I don't know how I can achieve or attempt to achieve that."

"That's where I come in," said Harry brightly, "I have devised a gameplan that I hope and expect will create stronger bonds between you and James and Lily."

"Let's hear it then," said Albus as he listened intently to what Harry had to say.

"The key to you building closer ties with James and Lily is spending more time with them," said Harry clearly, "Some of this time it will be just the 3 of you and some of this time other people will be with you. The key is for you to be around them more be it with just the 3 of you or others also involved."

"So what's the plan then?" asked Albus briskly.

"Well," replied Harry, "You know that James has Wandmaking lessons with Olivander on Monday and Wednesday nights during the 11 p.m. hour? Well, I think the hour after that, that is to say, the 12 a.m. hour on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, would be a perfect time for all 3 of you tp spend some quality sibling time together."

"That's perfect!" chorused James, Albus, and Lily.

"Lily has come to meet me after my Wandmaking lessons a few times this year," smiled James, "Now, both Albus and Lily can come and meet me after each of my Wandmaking lessons and the 3 of us can spend that next hour together. That's a great way for Albus tp spend some time with Lily and me and hopefully develop tighter bonds with us."

"That's an excellent time for Albus to get more sibling time with us," agreed Lily.

"I agree with James and Lily about the midnight hour on Tuesday and Thursday mornings following James Wandmaking lessons during the 11 p.m. hour on Monday and Wednesday is a superb time for me to get some sibling time with them," said Albus matter of factly, "But we will we be doing during that time?"

Harry dug his hand into his left hand pocket, pulled out a sheet paper, and unfurled it.

"This is a list of activities I have suggested for the 3 of you to do during this sibling bonding time," said Harry crisply as he handed the paper to Albus, "On at least the 1st couple of these sibling bonding meetings, I wish for you, Albus, to choose what you spend this time doing. After the 1st 2 meetings, you may offer James and Lily input if you wish but I want you to make the choices for at least the 1st 2 meetings."

"That makes all the sense in the world considering that reason for these meetings is for Albus to become more close knit with us," said James firmly.

"Absolutely," agreed Lily, "Albus, can you store that paper in your room?"

"Yes," said Albus simply, "I'll keep this paper in my room and simply bring it when we go to meet James after his Wandmaking lessons."

"Good," said Harry, who continued, "Next, I know that James and Hugo attend Quidditch practices every Tuesday and Thursday night to support their family and friends on the team including Lily. I also know that James, Hugo, Devon, and Lily all get together and spend time together after practices. Here's my next idea, Albus, I wish for you to attend these Quidditch practices on Tuesday and Thursday nights with James and Hugo and then join in with James, Hugo, Devon, and Lily when they spend time together after practice."

"Rose and Pamela aren't into Quidditch at all," explained Albus, "While my interest in Quidditch is lower than James's and Lily's, I do enjoy playing and watching Quidditch and broom games at home and I love going to Hogwarts Quidditch matches but Rose's and Pamela's complete disinterest in the sport has prevented me from attending any Gryffindor practices. I can't attend any Gryffindor Quidditch practices because my Rose and Pamela are completely disinterested in Quidditch. My interest in attending these practices might not be as high as James's would be but I would enjoy doing so. Rose's and Pamela's disinterest in Quidditch rule this out for me."

"Albus," said Harry sharply, "Rose, and Pamela don't need to have a monopoly on your time. You CAN do things without them sometimes and still have them as your best friends."

"I don't want to upset Rose and Pamela by shunning them," said Albus nervously.

"It is not shunning your friends to do some things without them," said Harry firmly, "And remember that Pamela is the 1 who expressed concern about your relationships with James and Lily in her letter to Parvati and that's how I came to be here to meet you tonight in the 1st place. I'm sure your friends will not only understand but support this idea. They know it is important for you to build better relationships with your brother and sister and I'm sure they are willing to sacrifice a few hours of time with you a week to allow that to happen."

"And remember," said Lily, "Pamela has already attempted to talk to you about your jealousy issues and your relationships with James and me. I know that your friends will be 100% behind this idea."

Albus nodded.

"You're right, Harry and Lily," realized Albus, "Any more ideas?"

"Another idea I have stems from James's involvement with the school as a 6th year prefect," explained Harry, "James, you mentioned in 1 of your letters to me that, starting on October 12th, 2020, at 8 p.m. Hogwarts time, you will be meeting up with up to 6 other students in the History of Magic classroom to do some planning for Hogwarts on some Mondays?"

"1 of the tasks I have been assigned in the course of my 6th year prefect duties is to help plan Hogwarts holiday activities this year. My 1st task will be to plan Hogwarts Halloween celebration this year, a task I will get to work on starting that 1st meeting on October 12th. Now, I am allowed to invite up to 6 guests to help me and this will be almost like a club. I have already invited 5 people to partake in this "club" with me but I have 1 spot still open. However, I am not required to use all allowed guest slots. I am allowed up to 6 guests but can have fewer."

"Who are the 5 guests you have already invited to join the club?" Harry asked James.

"Devon, Hugo, Lily, Fred, and Roxanne are the 5 guests that I have already invited to join the club. I have 1 spot open that I can but don't have to fill. Hang on, I thought I had told you in my letter who I had invited. Did I forget?"

"No you didn't," said Harry, "What you just told me is consistent with what you said in your letter but I asked because I have a proposal for you. Have you considered anyone for to be your 6th guest to fill all alavailble slots."

"No I have not," said James uncertainly, "But I do wish to fill it. I just don't know who I should fill it with."

"James," said Harry firmly, "I wish for you to invite Albus as your 6th guest to fill that last slot, especially since you've already invited Lily. This would create another excellent avenue for all 3 of you to spend time together."

"I'd love to be a part of that," said Albus eagerly, "Being part of that club would give me an opportunity to be more involved while also spending time with James and Lily at the same time."

"You're absolutely right, Harry and Albus, agreed James, "Albus, you're in."

"I think a good side benefit to all this is that Albus may also build closer relationships with Hugo, Devon, and to some degree, Fred and Roxanne," said Lily warmly.

"I totally agree," said Harry with conviction, "After all those are his cousins and 2nd cousin as well. This means Albus will gain stronger bonds with a large portion of his family and that can only be a good thing."

"Anything else, Harry?' asked Albus.

"Yes," said Harry clearly, "James, Lily you need to stop calling each other "my favorite sibling" and "my favorite brother."

"Harry, it's okay," said Albus quickly, "James and Lily are in no way insulting me when they call each other "my favorite sibling" and "my favorite brother", It is simply 1 of their ways of expressing affection for each other. It's not a slight to me at all. It's all about their relationship with each other."

"You may not be offended by it," said Harry decisively, "But it is inappropriate. While some siblings are indeed closer than others, there should be no such thing as a favorite sibling. You should all love each other =ly. Period."

James, Albus, and Lily said nothing and Harry chose not to press the subject. He had planted the seed in their minds and now hoped that they would come to realize what he was getting at and that James and Lily would indeed stop calling each other "my favorite sibling" and "my favorite brother."

"Albus," said Harry gently, "My own opinion of you as a person is that while you do have temper and jealousy issues, you are a good hearted person at the core. James, Lily, what do you think?"

"Well," said Lily slowly, "I don't feel like I know Albus well enough to be able to make that judgement fairly."

"Nor do I," agreed James, "I don't feel comfortable making that judgemnet myself because I don't think I know Albus well enough to make that judgemnet fairly either."

"That confirms Ginny's and my suspicions that Albus doesn't have strong enough bonds with either of you," responded Harry instantly, "And that's all I have for now."

Harry left.

James, Albus, and Lily decided to stay in the Room of Requirement and spend some time just chatting. This was a good thing. In starting the process of having Albus bond more with James and Lily, just spending some time talking to each other was helpful.

On Sunday, October 4th, 2020. James, Albus, Devon, and Lily did hold their weekly meeting in the Room of requirement but just as Olivander had done with James's Wandmaking lessons the previous week, the Room of Requirement decided that this meeting would be used for review and that they would resume new material the next Sunday.

On Monday, October 5th, 2020 at 11 p.m. Hogwarts time, James finally got his 1st chance to take an actual shot at trying to make a wand of his own...


	51. James's 1st Wandmaking Attempt

On Monday, October 5th,s 2020 at 11 p.m. Hogwarts time, James would finally get to take a crack at actually attempting to make a wand.

When James entered the History of Magic classroom for his Wandmaking lesson, he saw 1 bottle each of Cooling Potion, Strengthening Potion, and Temperament Potion sitting on the left side of Olivander's desk along with a stopwatch. A cauldron and tongs could be seen on the right hand side of the desk.

"Good evening, Mr Potter, " said Olivander in a businesslike voice, "Are you ready to attempt to make a wand?"

"Yes!" said James excitedly, "I've been looking forward to this opportunity for a while now."

"I have prepared some cores in Temperament Potion and some woods in Strengthening Potion," explained Olivander, " Now, it should be noted that, although treatment in potions is a part of the Wandmaking process, and although you will be learning to make these potions as part of your 7th year Potions class next year, its not actually necessary for Wandmakers to know how to make potions because they can easily be store bought. However, 1ce you get into to doing Wandmaking on your own, you will need to prepare woods and cores in potions beforehand. At some point this year, I will have you start doing this on your own so that you learn to take responsibility for it."

"How about after New year's?" suggested James, "That will allow me to focus on the actual Wandmaking process for a few months and still incorporate the full responsibility for several months before I begin to teach?"

"Mr. Potter, that's perfect!" squealed Olivander approvingly.

"Let's get down to business now," requested James.

"Ah yes, yes yes yes, "replied Olivander, "Now I have prepared several different types of wood as well as all 3 core types. You may choose what kind of wand you wish to make. You may choose to do whatever you wish with the wand you make if you are successful."

"OHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed James in delight as though he'd realized something.

"I know EXACTLY what type I want to make. Is willow 1 of the available woods?"

"Yes," answered Olivander simply, "Though, if it wasn't, you could still use Transfiguration to turn 1 of the woods I did have into willow."

"I want to make a willow wood, phoenix feather wand of 10 and 3/4 inches! That is Lily's wand. You see, Lily has told me that she has been inspired by how I'm learning to make wands and that she now wishes to pursue a Wandmaking career of her own. Not to stay at Hogwarts and teach like me, but, to actually own a shop. Lily has always wanted a career where she could help people and making wands for witches and wizards certainly qualifies for that. She has told me that she will take my class next year. But she isn't entirely sure that she can do it. She has some doubts. I've told her to chase her dream if that what she wants. What I want to do is present her with the wand I make tonight in the hope that it will motivate and inspire her. I want to tell her, hey, if I can do it, so can you. I think it will make it more meaningful if I make a replica of her own wand."

"Mr. Potter, that's wonderful," said Olivander glowingly, "

Olivander opened the bottle of Strengthening Potion and James saw many different strips of wood floating in it. Olivander pulled a strip of willow wood out of the Strengthening Potion and handed it to James.

"The wood must be cut magically with a Splitting Charm," remembered James.

James pulled his wand out of his right hand pocket, set the strip of willow wood down on the desk, and pointed his wand at the strip of willow wood.

"Detachio" cried James.

Next nanosecond, a piece of willow wood of exactly 10 and 3/4 inches in length detached itself from the rest of the strip.

"Bravo," cried Olivander approvingly, "That's EXACTLY the length you were shooting for."

"YES!" shouted James, "Now I need a 2nd piece, so let's do that again."

James set his 1st piece down on left hand side of the desk and prepared to repeat his Splitting Charm.

James 1ce again pointed his wand at the strip of willow wood and 1ce again cried "Detachio!"

As before, a piece of willow wood of exactly 10 and 3/4 inches in length detached itself from the rest of the strip.

"Mr. Potter, you've done it again!" beamed Olivander, "2nd verse same as the 1st!"

"I'm awesome," said James glowingly, "I just cut off 2 pieces of wand wood of EXACTLY the length I want on my 1st 2 attempts at it! I did a splendid job. Of course, my Splitting Charms have always been outstanding."

"Feeling good about yourself, Mr. Potter?" observed Olivander.

"Very," smiled James.

James set set the 2nd piece of wand willow down by the 1st 1.

Olivander next opened the bottle of Temperament Potion, pulled out a phoenix feather, and handed it to James.

James carefully set the phoenix feather down in the middle of the desk and picked up 1 of his pieces of wand willow.

James then gently set this piece of wand willow on top of the phoenix feather on the side nearest himself.

"Now time to attach my 1st piece of willow to the phoenix feather," said James eagerly.

James pointed his wand at the piece of willow atop the phoenix feather and cried "Attachio!"

The 10 and 3/4 inch piece of willow wood fit itself perfectly onto the side of the phoenix feather nearest James.

"Wow!" cried Olivander in amazement, "I see now why you got an O on your Charms O.W.L. last year, Mr. Potter."

"My Charms skills are awesome!" boasted James.

"Now comes the hard part," said Olivander seriously.

"Especially for me," admitted James, "As it requires some patience. I'm not a patient person but now I have to be."

James picked up the stopwatch in his left hand and set it to 5 minutes. He then placed the attached 10 and 3/4 inch piece of willow wood into the cauldron.

James next started the stopwatch and used his right hand to simultaneously turn the heat on the cauldron to high.

Remembering what Olivander had previously told him about the importance of not letting this process go unattended, James kept his eyes squarely focused on the cauldron for these 5 minutes.

When the stopwatch went off, James picked up the tongs, pulled the 1/2 finished wand out the cauldron and set it back on the desk with the unfinished side facing himself.

"Time to attach the 2nd 1/2 of wood to the core," said James eagerly, clearly getting more and more excited as he completed each step successfully.

James now picked up the 2nd 10 and 3/4 inch piece of willow wood and set it atop the uncovered side of the phoenix feather.

"Attachio" cried James.

1ce again, the 10 and 3/4 piece of willow wood fit perfectly onto the phoenix feather.

"YES!" said James excitedly, "Man, Wandmaking isn't so hard if you are good at Charms."

"There's a lot of truth to that, " acknowledged Olivander, "But you will find some type of wands harder to make. Willow is 1 of the easiest woods to work with and phoenix feather is the easiest core to work with. I do think you will be able to make all kinds of wands superbly by the end of the year. But you will be challenged more when you make other kinds of wands."

"I think it's good that I started off with an easier wand to make," said James matter of factly, "Better to start with an easier wand and get a feel for the process and being successful at it and then move into more challenging wands later on."

"Exactly," agreed Olivander.

James now again set the stopwatch to 5 minutes and placed the wand into the cauldron. He started the stopwatch and used his right hand to set the heat on the cauldron to high.

After these 5 minutes were up, James removed the wand from the cauldron with the tongs and set it down in front of him.

"You remember how to finish making a wand, Mr. Potter?" inquired Olivander.

In response, James pointed his own wand at this nearly completed wand and cried "Lumos Maxima!"

After 20 seconds, James and Olivander heard a loud and distinct snapping sound.

"PERFECT!" squealed Olivander, "That snapping sound means that the 2 pieces of the wand have successfully fused together! Great job Mr. Potter!"

"I was PERFECT today. My 1st endeavor into actually making a wand was totally awesome baby! I'm awesome and so was my performance today!"

Olivander now opened the bottle of Cooling Potion and used the tongs to set the newly made wand in it.

"Mr. Potter, your newly made wand will be ready by the time of our next regularly scheduled lesson. I will allow you to use our lesson time Wednesday to write Miss Potter a note or letter to give to her with that wand and we can getting cracking with another Wandmaking attempt next Monday."

"Thank you, Mr. Olivander, " said James sincerely.

As had been planned, Albus and Lily met James after this lesson for an hour of sibling time.

Albus had decided that he, James, and Lily would spend this 1st week of sibling time playing with a hula hoop. James, Albus, and Lily would each take turns jumping through the hula hoop while the other 2 held on to it. They had fun doing this and Albus thought it a healthy way of spending their sibling time because it required them to help each other with an activity. Albus thought this would help with the bonding part.

After awhile, they started competing to see who could jump through the hula hoop for the longest distance. Albus turned out the winner and all 3 of them went to bed that night feeling that the process of Albus's sibling bonding was off to a good start.

As he had promised, Olivander allowed James to use their Wednesday night lesson to write a massage to Lily.

James took a sheet of paper and pen out of schoolbag and wrote:

Dear Lily:

Lily, I know how much you want to eventually become a Wandmaker yourself and I am touched by how much inspiration you have taken from me. I know you have some doubt about whether you can do it even though you are committed to taking my class next year. I want to really push you to believe in yourself, give it your all, and do your best and I hope my inspiration can provide more motivation for you. In my 1st attempt at actual Wandmaking, I made this wand, a 10 and 3/4 willow and phoenix feather wand that is a replica of your own wand. I dedicate this wand to you, It is my hope that you will look at this wand and push through by having it plant the idea in your mind that "Hey James did it and I can too." I hope you will not use this wand, but instead let it serve as both inspiration and motivation and to keep pushing through until you are successful. Lily, I believe in you and I hope I can help you to believe in yourself. I KNOW you will make our family proud and I KNOW you will make the entire magical population proud. Always know that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Love always

\- James.

At the end of the hour, Olivander retrieved the wand James had made on Monday from the Cooling Potion and set it in a brown paper bag. James placed his note to Lily in the bag as well and placed the bag in his right hand pocket before going to meet Albus and Lily.

James, Albus, and Lily again played with a hula hoop and Albus again won the jumping competition. All 3 of them felt good about this 1st week of this sibling time and Albus was already thinking about how they would spend this time next week.

At 1 a.m. on Thursday morning, Albus went to bed and James took the bag out of his pocket and handed it to Lily before calling it a night himself.

Lily took the bag up to her room and opened it.

As Lily read the note, she felt very meaningful and heartfelt tears forming in her eyes.

Of all the things that James could have done with his 1st Wandmaking attempt, he had thought of her.

To have had her brother make a replica of her own wand and present it to her as a gift meant more to Lily than she could ever possibly articulate.

Lily had also been very moved by the dedication and the note. Obviously, James wanted Lily to succeed as much as he wanted himself to succeed.

Moreover, James clearly had genuine faith in Lily and wanted to do whatever he could to encourage her.

But this was also about more than wands or encouragement.

This was about family and about love.

Lily could feel James love for her through the paper she had read.

And when she picked the wand James had made and held it in her hand for the 1st time, she felt a sudden warmth in her heart. It felt as though James himself had shot this warmth into her.

Setting the wand and note back into the bag and placing a very strong Anti Theft Charm on it, Lily looked at the portrait of James that hung on her wall and got a sudden feeling of catching something within herself.

As Lily changed into her pajamas and slippers and climbed into bed, she vowed to prove James's faith in her right.

"Yes," thought Lily determinedly, "It may still be awhile before James starts teaching, but when he does, I'm going to be his best student and his faith in me will prove correct."

And with that, Lily feel asleep.


	52. Sacrifice Turned Miracle

On the evening of Thursday October 8th, 2020, Albus sat with James and Hugo in the stands during Gryffindor Quidditch practice for the 1st time. (Tuesday's practice had been canceled due to lightning.)

"Hey, Albus?" asked Hugo, "How do you feel like your attempt to develop closer relationships with James and Lily has gone so far?"

"I think it's off to a good start," said Albus confidently, "I don't yet feel that close to James and Lily. I will have to spend more time with them before I reach that point. But I can definitely say that even after only a few sessions of sibling time with James and Lily that I already feel far more warmth towards them than I have for a long time."

"I could sense that after our sibling time session last night," said James happily, "You know, I had never really thought much about the fact that Lily and I are not as close with Albus as we are with each other. To me, it was just kinda the way it was and I didn't think much about it. But now that the process of Lily and I attempting to develop stronger bonds with Albus is underway, I'm finding I really welcome the prospect."

I'm glad to hear that, James," said Albus with a genuine smile, Hi 5, James?"

James and Albus exchanged hi 5s and both smiled.

"If I may ask, James, Hugo," said Albus cautiously, "How are your and Devon's relationships with Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha holding up?"

"Perfectly fine," said Hugo with a smile, "The very day Professor Longbottom informed that the ZoomBroom had in fact carried a Hurling Hex, Ainsley and Stephanie apologized and made good with us and we've bene on great terms ever since. Samantha never apologized but just expected things to go back to normal once the issue was solved."

Next nanosecond, practice started and James, Albus, and Hugo looked on. Samantha and Lily were clearly the best players during this practice and that was in fact the norm.

After practice, Samantha, Stephanie and Ainsley all went off to take "me time" in their respective rooms while Fred and Roxanne went off to take brother-sister time.

Meanwhile, as planned, Albus joined James, Hugo, Devon, and Lily and the 5 of them would spend the rest of the night together. They decided to stay on the Quidditch Pitch and just fly. No racing. They just had fun flying together.

Things seemed to have been going well. And then Saturday, October 10th, 2020 came.

On Saturday, October 10th, 2020 both James and Lily woke up feeling very weak.

Both James and Lily decided that they needed to visit the hospital wing.

Devon, Hugo, Fred, Roxanne, Albus, Rose, Pamela, Ainsley, Stephanie. and Samantha all tagged along to support them.

As fate had it, Madam Pomfrey had taken the weekend off and Healer Cochlain was filling in for her.

"Hey, Ainsley," Healer Cochlain greeted her daughter.

"Hi, Amy," said Ainsley tonelessly, "James and Lily aren't feeling well. They claim to feel very weak."

"Mr. and Miss Potter," requested Healer Cochlain, "I am going to put feathers in front of both of you. Please try to levitate them."

Healer Cochlain placed a feather each in front of James and Lily.

James and Lily both raised their wands and cried "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Nothing happened.

Healer Cochlain got a grave look on her face when she saw that both Potters had been unable to levitate their feathers. She raised her own wand and performed a Diagnostic Spell.

"Mr. and Miss Potter, you both have Core Depleting Virus.

"What is Core Depleting Virus?" asked James and Lily together.

"Core Depleting Virus is a rare magical virus that attacks a witch's or wizard's magical core. Although it is rare, it tends to run in families albeit usually in the same generations. When it does occur, it tends to happen to siblings. The virus simply eats away at the core until it becomes useless. "

"is there a cure for Core Depleting Virus?" asked Lily urgently, looking at James.

"It's complicated," sighed Healer Cochlain, "Core Depleting Virus is not deadly but what it does is it robs its victims of their magical powers by destroying their magical core. In order for a victim of Core Depleting Virus to regain his or her magic, he or she must receive an organ donation of either a 1/3, 1/2 or full magical core. If a 1/3 or 1/2 magical core is implanted, it will grow into a full magical core within a day or so. It is actually a pretty quick procedure. This surgery has been performed 9 times in the past. The donor has died each time. It seems as though a witch or wizard gets a shock to the system if his or her magical core is removed. Also, just as their are different types of blood, their are different types of magical cores. The recipient must receive the same type of magical core as he or she originally possessed. Implanting a foreign magical core would be fatal. I am going to use my Diagnostic Spell to see what types of magical cores you both have and test everyone else here for a compatibility match."

Healer Cochlain took her wand and performed her Diagnostic Spell on everybody.

"Mr. Potter and Miss Potter, you both have type P magical cores. The only match is your brother, Mr. Potter." explained Healer Cochlain, "Mr. Potter, be aware that your brother and sister can still live without this operation. But they must have this procedure done to regain their magical powers. You will be sacrificing your own life if you agree to do it."

Everyone sat in silence for a few minutes and a few nanoseconds. When Albus finally spoke, his voice was cracking with emotion and conviction.

"J- James, L-Lily, you both have too much to offer the Wizarding World to lose your magic. I guess it wasn't in the fates for me to live to adulthood. In addition to how much you both have to offer our world, I personally want you both to achieve as much as you possibly can and if I have to give my life up completely so you both can have better lives, then I will do so." croaked Albus.

"T-thanks, Albus," chorused James and Lily in very sad voices.

"Mr. Potter, would you like to say any goodbyes before this operation?" inquired Healer Cochlain.

"No," said Albus clearly, "That would create emotions that would cause people to try to talk me out of this. I'm committed to it. I'm committed to sacrificing my life so that James and Lily may have better lives.

"Very well, I'm going to give all 3 of you Dreamless Sleep Potion."

Healer Cochlain fed James, Albus, and Lily very strong dreamless sleep potion and laid all 3 of the on beds on their stomachs and used a small knife to cut open James's, Albus's, and Lily's stomachs.

Healer Cochlain used her stainless steel medical tongs to remove Albus's magical core from him.

However, unlike the previous times this operation had been performed, including 2 times in Healer Cochlain's career, Albus did not die upon the removal of his magical core. Noticing this, Healer Cochlain decided to cut Albus's magical core into 3rds rather than 2nds so that she could give Albus a piece back if a miracle was indeed happening.

Healer Cochlain carefully picked up 1/3 of the magical core with her stainless steel medical tongs and carefully placed it into James's system, repeating the process for Lily. As Albus was still breathing, she did the same for him.

Healer Cochlain then pointed her wand at James's stomach and shouted "REPARO!" and the hole she had cut into James's stomach healed instantly. Healer Cochlain then sealed Lily's and Albus's stomach's back up as well.

Everyone stayed in the hospital wing overnight.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Potter, and Miss Potter," called Healer Cochlain when she saw they had awoken on Sunday morning, "i am going to give each of you a feather and I want you to perform the Levitation Charm.

James, Albus, and Lily all raised their wands.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" cried all 3 Potters at 1ce.

The very next nanosecond, all 3 of the feathers began to rise. And rise. And rise.

"Bravo!" cried Healer Cochlain happily, "All 3 of your magical cores have been fully regrown."

"Albus survived?" cried Lily weakly, "I can't believe it."

"Nor can I, said James.

"Mr. Potter is the 1st donor to have ever survived this surgery," said Healer Cochlain matter of factly.

James, Albus, and Lily all exchanged long and tight hugs and Albus spoke up.

"You know," said Albus honestly, "I have taken James and Lily for granted. All this time I've been jealous of my brother and sister for everything that has happened to them rather than enjoying seeing my brother and sister be so successful. In fact I've felt cold towards them often and even been a prat to them at times. While the sibling time has helped me feel more warmth towards them by starting to create more of a bond between us, I was still jealous of them. Not anymore. I could have died missing out on enjoying James's and Lily's success and that would have been a shame. James and Lily are wonderful people and deserve everything they get. James, Lily, I promise to be a better brother from now on. I've been given a 2nd chance and I'm going to use that 2nd chance to become a better person and a better brother."

"You were always a great brother in the inside," said Lily warmly, "You proved that by being willing to sacrifice yourself for us."

"Especially, since Lily and I could have lived without the surgery," added James warmly, "Your willingness to do that proved how much you truly support us when it comes to it."

The others all remained silent as the Potters spoke. They knew this was James, Albus, and Lily's moment and not to interfere.

"Albus, "said Lily, "I'm glad to see how your perspective has changed but I can also understand your prior jealousy. While I do believe the sibling time is doing its job, I do hope you can find a niche of your own. I will help you find a niche of your own if its the last thing I do."

"And I'll help Lily with that if I can," vowed James.

"Albus," said Lily emotionally, your willingness to give yourself up has made it possible for James and I to continue to do what we love to do and we cant express our appreciation enough."

"Lily said it all," agreed James weakly.

The ultimate result of the shared experience of Albus being a magical core donor to James and Lily was that it bonded them instantly.

While sibling time was no longer necessary for bonding, James, Albus, and Lily chose to continue taking sibling time. But now instead of bonding time it would be something to look forward to because they were bonded so tightly.

They were released from the hospital on Sunday Night and on Monday night they had the 1st meeting of the Hogwarts Planning Club.


	53. The Hogwarts Planning Club

On Monday, October 12th , 2020, the 1st meeting of the Hogwarts Planning Club was held.

James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, Fred, Roxanne, and Lily all met in the History of Magic classroom at 7 p.m. for the 1st meeting.

"Now," said James matter of factly, "In this 1st meeting of the Hogwarts Planning Club we are going to plan Halloween at Hogwarts 2020. Now as president of the Hogwarts Planning Club, I am the 1 who will make the final decisions and present them to Professor McGonagall. However, I will listen to all of your ideas and give each and every 1 of them fair consideration. 1 thing I have already made my mind up about is that we are 1ce again having the Treat or Trick session we had last Halloween. I loved having Halloween candy at Hogwarts last year and I look forward to seeing Trick or Treat return to Hogwarts this year. That's the 1 thing I've locked in. What suggestions would the rest of you like to add?"

"The thing about Halloween," said Albus in a crystal clear voice, "Is that it offers so many different possibilities. Last year the "fun" aspect of Halloween was emphasized with the prominence of the color orange and the making of Jack O Lanterns in class. I think we should emphasize a different aspect of Halloween this year. I suggest emphasizing the "scary" aspect of Halloween this year. Perhaps have a haunted house event and screen scary movies?"

"Then there's the dressing up aspect," offered Fred, "We could have a costume contest."

"Even within the Treat or Treat part I think we should make some adjustments to the candy. Maybe have more specifically Halloween themed candy." said Devon eagerly.

"We could also consider a carnival themed Halloween," suggested Hugo.

"I think Albus makes an excellent point about the versatility of Halloween," said Roxanne crisply, "But I think we shouldn't do too much in 1 year. Pick 1 theme for the year's Halloween and stick to that theme. That leaves other themes fresher for use in future years."

"I think the best way to go is to have a different theme every year and vary the candies every year," said Lily in a firm but polite voice.

"1 thing we could do is to try to match some of each year's candies with that year's theme," suggested Albus.

"Good suggestions, everyone," said James happily, "I'm going to deliberate for a few minutes and then announce my decision."

Everyone in the room smiled at each other. They knew that James had lots of quality options and they trusted James's judgemnet.

"Alright," piped up James after 5 minutes and 5 nanoseconds, "I agree completely with not doing too much in any 1 year so that we can keep some ideas fresher for use in later years. Here's what we're going to do next. I am going to give each of you a "ballot" with 3 options for what Hogwarts Halloween theme will be this year. The 3 options will be scary theme, dress up theme, and carnival theme. Whichever idea receives the most votes shall be the idea implemented for this Halloween. If a tie occurs, I will cast a vote to break the tie."

James unzipped his schoolbag, pulled out a sheet of paper and ripped it into 6 pieces, and then pulled out 7 pens.

James decapped the 1st pen and used it to write out 6 ballots. He wrote vertical columns on each of the 6 sheets of paper that read

Scary.

Dress up.

Carnival.

James drew square boxes besides each option.

"When I pass around the ballots, please place a check mark in the box that resides by your preferred theme. No names are to be written on these ballots. Please do not look over each other's shoulders."

James handed out the ballots and waited patiently while Albus, Fred, Hugo, Devon, Roxanne, and Lily all made their choices.

When Albus, Fred, Hugo, Devon, Roxanne, and Lily had all returned their ballots to James, he read them over. Each of the 3 options had exactly 2 votes.

"We have a 3 way tie with Scary, Dress up, and Carnival each receiving exactly 2 votes. I am going to break the tie. I know that there will be some disappointment. Can you all please promise me to accept my tiebreaking vote without bitching should your preferred theme not be chosen?"

Albus, Fred, Hugo, Devon, Roxanne, and Lily all nodded their heads. James trusted them all so he wasn't worried that his making the tiebreaking vote would cause any kind of rift.

"My final decision is that we will do the Scary Halloween theme this year," announced James.

"YES!" screamed out Albus and Devon. Lily and Hugo, who voted for carnival, applauded politely. Fred and Roxanne, who had been hoping for dress up, had disappointed looks on their faces.

"Alright!" squealed Albus in delight, "I can't wait till Halloween rolls around. Having a Scary Halloween will be totally awesome baby!"

"Scary Halloween is going to be da bomb!" smiled Devon, "Halloween, please get here fast."

"I'd have preferred the Carnival Halloween," said Hugo honestly, "But a Scary Halloween should still be pretty enjoyable."

"I voted for Carnival as well," admitted Lily, "But Scary Halloween will be fun. Couldn't have gone wrong with any of the choices."

"I'm disappointed dress up didn't win," said Fred quietly, "But it was a fair process and I'm confident Scary Halloween will give us some great thrills."

"I'd really hoped dress up would win," said Roxanne sadly, "Maybe I'll have better luck next year. For now, time to move forward and hope Scary Halloween delivers the goods."

"Congratulations Albus and Devon," said James with a smile, "Hugo, Fred, Roxanne, Lily, better luck next year and thank you for handling yourselves in a class way."

Next nanosecond, Hugo, Fred, Roxanne, and Lily all shook Albus's and Devon's hands and congratulated them on the win. This further displayed the class that James had just referred to.

"So," said Devon excitedly, "Are we going to start planning Scary Halloween tonight?"

"I think we can start planning the candy part tonight and next Monday night we can plan how scary Halloween will actually go. We can start an outline of that tonight and fill in the details next week," explained James, "Now I definitely want to keep Old faithful bars in the candy mix."

"I think blood flavored lollipops would be a perfect fit for the theme," said Devon with a grin.

"The blood orange flavored dots would be perfect as well!" said Albus excitedly.

"You know," said Lily thoughtfully, "Last year we had chocolate pumpkins. I would like to see those make a return. But I also think we ought to add candies in shapes related to the year's theme. For Scary Halloween we could add bat shapes, ghost shapes, mummy shapes etc."

"Big sis, that's bloody brilliant!" chorused James and Albus.

At that nanosecond, James, Albus, and Lily all gave each other warm and genuine smiles. It was a watershed moment. While James had long affectionately referred to Lily as "big sis,", Albus had never addressed Lily in any way other by her name. That Albus had just called Lily "big sis" for the 1st time ever, and did in chorus with James was symbolic of how close all 3 of them had become.

The surgery Healer Cochlain had performed on James, Albus, and Lily had bonded all 3 of the closer together than any of them could have imagined. This wasn't just a result of Albus gaining perspective either. Even James and Lily felt closer to each other than ever before. The procedure Healer Cochlain had performed on them meant that all 3 of them had magical cores that were essentially brothers, having all grown from the same father core as it were. The magical cores that James, Albus, and Lily now in themselves could feel each other's magic and emotions. This meant James, Albus, and Lily had a bond unlike any before it.

"Thanks, baby bros," smiled Lily, relishing in the plural.

"I suggest using different shapes for different types of candy," piped up Hugo, "Chocolate bats, marshmallow ghosts, licorice mummies,"

"Great suggestions, Hugo," smiled Lily.

"I say we include the Halloween M&Ms," said Fred briskly, "The color mix does give off a bit of that creepy Halloween feeling,"

"How about Skittles Darkside?" suggested Roxanne, "Dark colors and flavor names would fit our theme."

"Those are excellent ideas as well," agreed Lily.

"Clearly, we've got some good candy ideas," said James in a satisfied voice, "So how do we want to go about that haunted house? We won't plan the specifics until next week but what should the outline for this haunted house be?"

"I think the best idea is to have the whole castle be turned into a haunted house for the day with each class being like a room in the haunted house and the Great Hall will be part of that as well," put 4th Hugo.

"I also think," said Albus with a grin, "When we go into the Great Hall for meals that day, we should have Frankenstein music playing in the background,"

"That's perfect," squealed James and Lily.

After another few nanoseconds, James addressed the room.

"I think we have an excellent start on planning Scary Halloween," said James cheerfully, "At next week's meeting we can decide on the specifics, such as what each room in our haunted house will be like and finalize the candy list. But before we adjourn, I'd like to say a few words. Lily, Hugo, Fred, Roxanne, I want to thank you all for your classiness. I know you were disappointed when my tiebreaking vote didn't go to your preferred themes but you all handled the vote not going your gracefully. I really appreciate that. I loved seeing how all of you really threw your energies into the planning for Scary Halloween whether you voted for it or not

"The 1st meeting of the Hogwarts Planning Club is officially adjourned," announced James, "Our next meeting shall be Monday, October 19th, 2020 at 7 p.m. Hogwarts time. Hugo, Devon, Fred, Roxanne, you are dismissed. Big bro and big sis, please hang back, I want a word."

Hugo, Devon, Fred, and Roxanne all walked towards the door. Roxanne pulled the door open and held it for Hugo, Devon, and Fred, before exiting behind them.

1ce Devon, Hugo, Fred and Roxanne had all gone, James looked Albus and Lily eye to eye.

"My 2nd attempt at Wandmaking is tonight," said James matter of factly, "However, the wands I am making from now through the end of December are not allowed to be used because I have not been responsible for the entire process. I can't go into specifics but part of the Wandmaking process includes treating woods and cores in Potions beforehand and finished wands in potion afterwards. I won't be taking responsibility for those stages until January. Right now I'm doing only the actual Wandmaking. Wizarding Law requires that a wand be made by a Wandmaker who was FULLY responsible for the Wandmaking process in order to be allowed to be used and that includes the potion cure parts."

"Baby bro," said Lily warmly, "I can't tell you how much it meant to me last week when you presented me with a replica of my wand as a gift. That was truly specia and I will indeed use it as motivation for myself as you wished."

"I'm quite gratified to hear that," said James quietly.

"But my question is, are you planning on making any more replica wands?" finished Lily.

"I am planning to make another replica wand tonight and I also intend it to be a gift to the person whose wand I'm replicating. I will be making replica wands through the end of December and presenting them as gifts. Since these wands can't be used the best thing I can do is make them mean something."

"Whose wand are you making a replica of tonight?" Lily asked James,

"Tonight I am planning on making a replica wand for someone who is not at Hogwarts at this nanosecond but that all 3 of us Potter siblings have met. We are not close to this person and haven't seen this person very often but this person has played an important part in our lives and all 3 of us are indebted to this person."

"Will you tell us before our sibling time tonight who this person is?" asked Lily.

"Yes," promised James, "Big bro and big sis, you will both be very interested to learn whose wand I replicate tonight,"

James, Albus, and Lily exchanged smiles. Then for a long time the 3 of just sat there chatting, not really caring much about what subjects came up, but just enjoying each other's company and talking to each other. It was like an extra sibling time session ahead of James's Wandmaking lesson with Olivander in addition the 1 they would have after James's Wandmaking lesson with Olivander.

Eventually, Albus and Lily got up and walked towards the exit. Lily pulled the door open and held it for Albus as he left. Lily was about to leave herself when she saw someone coming towards the door. They hadn't realized how late it had gotten and this person was Olivander. Lily held the door for Olivander before finally exiting, shutting the door behind her.

Olivander took his usual opposite James at the desk.

"Well, Mr. Potter. I take the 1st meeting of the Hogwarts Planning Club was a long 1?

"I asked Albus and Lily to hang around after the meeting for a word. Amongst other things, We talked about my lessons with you. Don't worry I didn't tell them any Wandmaking secrets. But I did explain to them that the wands I make won't useable until January. For that reason, I am going to make replica wands as gifts for the rest of the year. Tonight I wish to attempt a replica of...


	54. Potter Siblings Touching Tribute

"I wish to make a replica of Healer Cochlain's wand," requested James, "Albus, Lily, and I are all indebted to Healer Cochlain. Her 100% successful performance of a very quick but also very difficult surgical procedure saved Lily's and my magic and Albus is the 1st magical core donor to ever come out of this surgery alive. I want to make a replica of Healer Cochlain's wand and present it to her as a gift. I am going to inform Albus and Lily of my intentions before our sibling time session tonight. I am also going to be writing Healer Cochlain a letter of appreciation on behalf of all 3 of us. I will suggest that Albus and Lily make their owns gifts to present to Healer Cochlain as well. Healer Cochlain's wand is-

"Walnut and dragon heartstring, 15 inches, stiff and forever straight," burst out Olivander instantly.

"You truly do remember every wand you've ever sold, Mr. Olivander!" replied James admiringly.

"Every single wand," answered Olivander dramatically.

"So what do you think of my idea of making a replica of Healer Cochlain's wand?" James asked Olivander.

"Healer Cochlain's wand will be much more difficult to make a replica of than Miss Potter's wand was," said Olivander warningly, "But it's a fitting tribute and I think you can pull it off even though I expect you to have to work at this wand quite a bit to get it make."

"I will work as hard as I have to and try as many times as need to get this done. Healer Cochlain more than deserves that." proclaimed James fiercely.

Olivander opened the bottle of Temperament Potion and extracted a dragon heartstring. He then opened the bottle of Strengthening Potion and took out a block of walnut wood.

Olivander handed the dragon heartstring and walnut wood block to James and cried, "Go for it Mr. Potter!"

James set the dragon heartstring aside and set the walnut block down in front of him.

James pointed his wand at the walnut block and cried, "Detachio!"

A piece of walnut detached itself from the block, but it was only 10 inches long.

"That's okay," said Olivander encouragingly, "I did warn you that this wand would be harder to make but I have total faith in you that you will be able to do it."

"Thank you, Mr. Olivander," said James determinedly, "The struggle will only make the end result more satisfying."

James pointed his wand at the walnut wood block a 2nd time and cried, "Detachio!"

This time, the piece of walnut that came off was 12 and 1/2 inches.

"You're getting better, Mr. Potter," said Olivander supportively. "Keep at it and you'll get it."

"3rd time's the charm," said James hopefully.

James pointed his wand at the walnut wood block a 3rd time and cried, "Detachio!"

To Olivander's utter amazement, a piece of walnut of EXACTLY 15 inches detached itself from the block.

"WOW! exclaimed Olivander in disbelief, "Walnut is THE most difficult wood to perform Splitting Charms on in terms of length precision and you just nailed it."

James pointed his wand at the walnut block a 2nd time and again cried, "Detachio!"

Remarkably, 1ce again a piece of walnut of EXACTLY 15 inches detached itself from the block.

"OMG!" squeaked Olivander, "I'm in the presence of an all time great wizard!"

"Yes you are!" replied James boastfully, "It took a few tries but when I got it, I GOT IT!"

James now carefully placed the dragon heartstring on the desk in front of him and gently laid the 1st piece of wand walnut on top of it on the side nearest him.

James pointed his wand at the walnut piece and cried, "Attachio!"

The walnut moved a bit but did not attach itself.

"That's alright, I expect you to have to work at this particular Attachment Charm to get it right." said Olivander.

A similar result of the walnut moving but not attaching itself to the dragon heartstring occurred on James's 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th attempts.

"Well," said James wryly before his 7th attempt, "7 is the most powerfully magical number. This time I'll nail it!"

James pointed his wand at the walnut piece the 7th time and cried, "Attachio!"

Olivander was delighted to see that the 15 inch piece of walnut attached itself onto the dragon heartstring with as picture perfect a fit as could have been hoped for.

"YES!" squealed Olivander, "I knew you'd get there in the end even if it took awhile."

"Of course, I'm a superb Wandmaker," bragged James.

James now placed the 1st part of the wand in the cauldron and picked up the stopwatch and set it to 5 minutes. He used his left hand to start the stopwatch while simultaneously turning the heat on the cauldron to high with his right hand.

James kept his eyes keenly on the cauldron and when the 5 minutes were up used the tongs to lift the 1/2 finished wand out of the cauldron.

James now slowly placed the 1/2 done wand on the desk in front of him with the unfinished side towards him and gently laid the 2nd piece of wand walnut on top of it on the side nearest him.

1ce again, it took James 7 attempts to attach the walnut to the dragon heartstring

1ce again, the walnut attached to the dragon heartstring with the best fit possible on James's 7th attempt .

"As, unreal!" said Olivander breathlessly, "I'd never have expected to do this well on this wand this quickly."

James now placed the wand in the cauldron again and picked up the stopwatch and set it to 5 minutes. He used his left hand to start the stopwatch while simultaneously turning the heat on the cauldron to high with his right hand.

James kept his eyes keenly on the cauldron and when the 5 minutes were up used the tongs to lift the wand out of the cauldron.

James now laid the wand down in front of him on the desk and aimed his own wand at it.

"LUMOS MAXIMA!" yelled James, holding the spell for exactly 20 seconds. Next nanosecond that distinct clicking sound confirmed a successfully made wand.

"BRAVO, Mr. Potter!" exclaimed Olivander, "I'm really proud of you. As expected, this wand was more of a challenge for you and you kept at it and ultimately succeeded."

"The struggle made the triumph that much sweeter, especially considering my motive for making this particular wand." said James proudly, "The grind felt like a gift to witch who saved Lily's and my magic while keeping Albus alive in the process."

"Mr. Potter," said Olivander respectfully, "I admire what you're doing in making these unusable wands into special gifts. I can't wait to see what you do next week. Like last week, I'll give you Wednesday night to write to Healer Cochlain."

"Thanks, that perfect," said James with his eyes watering.

Olivander laid the newly made wand in Cooling Potion and they called it a night.

As James left the History of Magic classroom, Albus and Lily were waiting for him.

"So," asked Lily eagerly, "Whose wand did you make a replica of tonight?"

"Healer Cochlain's," said James fiercely, "We Potter siblings are indebted to her. She saved both of our magic and kept Albus alive in the process. Mr. Olivander is giving me Wednesday to write to her and then next time I see her I'll present her the replica I made of her wand as a gift. "

"You know what, Lily?, "said Albus thoughtfully, "I think we should both make gifts of our own to present to Healer Cochlain. All 3 of us are indeed indebted to her."

"You're absolutely right, Albus," agreed Lily, "How about we make these Wednesday night while James is writing to Healer Cochlain."

"That's perfect," agreed Albus.

"Hey, big bro, big sis," requested James, "May I have permission to write on behalf of you 2 when I write to Healer Cochlain so that it becomes a letter from all 3 of us.

"That would be fitting," smiled Lily, "But let us read it before we take it to Healer Cochlain."

That night, James, Albus, and Lily used their sibling time to have a water balloon fight. James was the clear winner and enjoyed constant good natured laughs at Albus and Lily, who enjoyed the water balloon fights all the same.

As he had promised, Olivander gave James Wednesday night to write to Healer Cochlain.

James pulled out a piece of paper and pen from his schoolbag and wrote.

Dear Healer Cochlain:

"We, that is to say, James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, and Lily Luna Potter, want to tell you how much we appreciate everything you did for us when we were in your care at Hogwarts when we were dealing with the Magical Core Depletion Virus issue. We are all beyond indebted to you for what you did for us in saving our magic and keeping the donor alive into the bargain. There are no words to express how truly grateful we are for the outstanding surgical work you did on us. Being a Healer is a tough profession to begin with and Magical Core Replacement surgery is quite a tough operation to perform. All 3 of us have found that we have stronger but still controllable magic since you operated on us and that speaks volumes to the superb job you did in performing a difficult medical procedure. We would also like to thank you for your friendly attitude. Your warmth makes life so much easier for your patients. Being treated by a Healer who genuinely loves people is a major plus. Healer Cochlain, we Potter siblings will always remember what you did for us both in terms of performance and kindness. Should anybody ever need a Healer recommendation from us we will recommend you. It is never fun to be sick, ill, or injured. But the quality of care 1 receives in such situations is paramount and you gave us the best possible care anybody could ever hope for. We wish you continued success in your healing career.

Sincerely with love-

James, Albus, and Lily.

When James showed this letter to Albus and Lily that night, they both thought it just about perfect.

Lily now pulled out her wand and cried "Accio quilt!"

A hand sewn yellow and orange quilt came zooming into Lily's hands.

"James, Albus, this is my gift to Healer Cochlain," explained Lily with her eyes watering, "I sewed by hand because it meant more to me to make this gift by hand than it would have to have made this gift by magic. The work of doing by hand felt like to me like a tribute to Healer Cochlain in and of itself."

"That's such a beautiful tribute Lily," said James emotionally, "I totally get what you mean about the work itself feeling like a gift.'

"As do I," piped up Albus.

Albus pulled out his wand and cried, "Accio Portrait."

"I painted this portrait by hand," said Albus meaningfully as the picture raced into his hands.

This portrait depicted James, Albus, and Lily standing in a row with their arms around each other and Healer Cochlain standing behind them.

"This portrait is meant to represent what Healer Cochlain did for us in showing that Healer Cochlain is the 1 who made our futures possible so to speak." explained Albus meaningfully.

"Wow, what a fitting gift, Albus," croaked Lily, "I think Healer Cochlain will be very touched."

They again used their sibling time for water balloon fights and again James dominated and gave Albus and Lily good natured ribbing and razing about it.

Next day in History of Magic class Lily asked Ainsley when Healer Cochlain would next be at Hogwarts and it turned out that she was 1ce again filling in on Saturday that week.

So, Saturday morning after breakfast, James, Albus, and Lily went to visit Healer Cochlain in the hospital wing.

"Healer Cochlain, "said Lily kindly, "We have come to present you with some gifts as a token of appreciation for what you did for us last week."

"Really?" said Healer Cochlain weakly.

"Really," said Lily warmly.

Lily dug her right hand into her hot pink schoolbag and pulled out the quilt.

"Healer Cochlain, I made this quilt for you. I know the Cochlains love bright colors and with winter approaching this seemed like a timely gift." said Lily sincerely.

"Wow, it is beautiful," acknowledged Healer Cochlain in a quiet voice, "Thank you Miss Potter. It always feel nice to know when my patients appreciate my work.."

Albus now opened his scarlet schoolbag and retrieved the portrait he had made of the Potter siblings standing with Healer Cochlain.

As Albus handed the portrait to Healer Cochlain, she felt tears form in her eyes and her insides warm up.

"This portrait is meant to represent the fact that our futures are possible because of you, Healer Cochlain," said Albus gently.

"Oh, it is a very beautiful painting on all levels, Mr. Potter. Thank you very much. There is not way to articulate how much this acknowledgment means to me." squealed Healer Cochlain weakly.

James now opened his scarlet schoolbag and ejected the replica of Healer Cochlain's wand.

"Healer Cochlain, during my last Wandmaking session I made a replica of your wand as a tribute to you. I present it to you now. "explained James.

"Wow, Mr. Potter," said Healer Cochlain, who was aware of James's Wandmaking lessons, "It says a lot that you would chose me as 1 of the people to gift a replica wand to. And merlin's beard! It is perfect! So perfect that I will have to be careful not to confuse with my real wand!"

James now dug his right hand into his right pocket and pulled out the letter. He then handed Healer Cochlain their letter.

By the time she had finished reading, Healer Cochlain was sobbing.

"P-Potters," cried Healer Cochlain emotionally, "I've never felt more appreciated or loved by patients than I do now, It means so much that you 3 truly understand what I did for you and have genuine gratitude towards me for it. From now on, please just call me Amy. Our relationship is clearly beyond that of a typical Healer-patient relationship."

"Thanks, Amy," chorused James, Albus, and Lily in low voices.

It was fitting. The bond between patients and Healer could not have been clearer and all 4 of them felt it on their very insides, into the depths of their hearts.

Some bonds were genuinely special and this was now 1 of them.


	55. Lily's Charity

Later that same night that the Potter Siblings had delivered their gifts to Healer Cochlain and she had told them they could now call her Amy, Lily sent out notices to James, Albus, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie asking them to meet her in The Room of Requirement at 7 P.M. Hogwarts time.

As Lily had expected, James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie all turned up. She knew she could count on them.

"So," said Lily clearly, "There is a very specific reason why I have called us all to gather here tonight. I wish to do some fundraising for Worthy Wands. As I'm sure you remember, Worthy Wands is the charity I created that helped me be a co gold medalist of last year's Hogwarts Writing Competition. This charity provides funds for needy and underprivileged Hogwarts students to purchase 1st hand wands that have chosen them so that they aren't stuck using hand me down wands, which will NEVER work as well for ANY witch or wizard as a wand that has chosen them. I want everyone to take a few minutes to think of what they might like to do raise money for Worthy Wands. When I call your name please present your idea."

"If I may ask?" inquired Albus, "Are we 8 the only people who know about this idea of doing fundraising for Worthy Wands?"

"No," said Lily briskly, "I limited the number of people I called to this meeting because it would counterproductive to have so many fundraisers that they competed with each other. I have written to Fred, Roxanne, Rose, Pamela, Miles, Todd, and Gary to inform them of my desire to raise money for Worthy Wands and that we would be planning fundraising ideas tonight. I am hopeful that they will help our efforts by being purchasers. I chose you lot to be the idea creators just by choosing my friends from own year and my brothers."

"That makes sense," agreed Albus, "But why did you inform 3 muggles?"

"Because," said Lily simply, "Depending on what our ideas are they may be able to help us through purchases of the services and/or items we will be selling."

"If that is the case," said Devon confidently, "Gary, Miles, and Todd would be happy to help us out through purchasing."

"Why would 3 muggles care about this charity though?" asked Albus uncertainly.

"Because of how close they are with Devon," said Lily crisply, "They are such good friends of Devon's that they have a vested interest in the welfare of the Wizarding World because of Devon being a part of it."

"Furthermore," said Devon warmly, "They feel indebted to Lily for being the person most responsible for bringing me back into their lives last Thanksgiving and would jump at the chance to help out her cause."

Albus nodded in understanding.

"Lily?" asked James, "I'm totally behind raising more money for Worthy Wands but why can't we just take collections in in a collection bucket in the Great Hall like we did last year?"

"Because" said Lily matter of factly, "People will get bored with that. The best way to continue to raise funds for Worthy Wands is to inject some fun and some variety into the fundraising process."

"Hey, Lily?" piped up Hugo, "I think we should all hold our fundraisers on different days and spread them to the extent that we can so that our fundraisers are not competing against each other."

"Hugo is EXACTLY RIGHT! agreed Devon, "Lily would you be willing to spend some time making up a fundraiser schedule after you've got all the ideas in?"

"OF course," said Lily with a smile, "My goal is to raise as much money for Worthy Wands as possible. Anything I can do to help my own cause I will. Just as limiting the number is important, so too avoiding clumping is important. But let's now give some thought to what each of us would like to do as a fundraiser. I shall call the 1st name in a few minutes. Also, please do not interrupt during someone else's idea time. I want to collect the ideas as quickly as I can and get to work tonight on planning a schedule so I don't want you lot to have a lot of discussion time during this session. "

Everyone nodded respectfully.

Lily allowed a few minutes to pass before calling on the 1st person to give everybody sufficient time to come up with ideas.

"1st up, Devon Dursley," called Lily.

""You remember that the Dursleys own a movie theater that we rent out as a money making venture?" Devon asked Lily.

"Yes, I remember you taking us all to see Star Wars there last New Year's Eve," smiled Lily.

"Well, we could have a fundraiser week there where we bring popular movies back to the big screen and all the revenue could go to Worthy Wands."

"Devon, that's a wonderful idea," said Lily happily, "That theater can fit a large number of people in it so doing a fundraiser week there would bring in a nice amount for Worthy Wands. The week of said fundraiser and the specific movies to be screened can be determined later. That's a nice start to know we have an idea that can generate a nice sum."

"I'm happy my family and I can help," said Devon proudly.

" Up next, James Potter," called Lily.

"I want to buy foreign candy via order forms and sell it at Hogwarts with the revenue generated from those sales going to Worthy Wands," said James eagerly, "I think it would be really cool if Hogwarts students were exposed to more foreign candies."

"Baby bro, that's an outstanding suggestion. We all know how much of a sweet tooth the Hogwarts student body has and giving them the opportunity to try new candies will peak their curiously as well," grinned Lily.

"But," said James wisely , "Let's try to schedule the candy fundraiser sometime away from Halloween and Easter."

"Agreed," replied Lily smartly, "Better to do the candy fundraiser at a less candy intense time to maximize interest."

"Exactly," said James simply, "And I'm glad you like my ides big sis."

"Up next, Albus Potter," called Lily.

"I'd like to host a book sale," said Albus, "The way this would work is that I would put notices up around the school asking students to donate old books of theirs that they no longer want and then we could sell the collected books to other students would now be interested in them and donate the money raised to Worthy Wands."

"Would you be donating any old books of your own?" Lily asked Albus curiously.

"Absolutely," said Albus instantly, "Because it's well known that I'm really into reading, I get a lot of books as gifts. Inevitably, some of those become duplicates so I will be donating some of my duplicate books to the cause."

"OOOH," realized Lily suddenly, "All of the reading lovers at Hogwarts probably have some duplicates as well as old books that have passed them by. Your book sale idea would be a perfect avenue for those reading lovers to unload duplicates and books they are burnt out on and buy books of interest to themselves to replace them with while putting money into Worthy Wands into the bargain! Brilliant idea, baby bro!"

"Thanks big sis," said Albus crisply, "I'm delighted by seeing my idea receive approval."

"Up next, Hugo Weasley," called Lily.

"Remember how we were taught to make cookies in Charms last Christmas?" Hugo asked Lily.

"Yes," answered Lily.

"Well, I'd like to make a batch of cookies and sell them at Hogwarts. The proceeds would go to Worthy Wands." piped up Hugo, "These cookies wouldn't be any kind of specially themed cookies but have everyday shapes such as dogs, cats, footballs, etc."

"4 for 4," beamed Lily, "I know that those Christmas cookies were a huge hit last year. Wizarding Cookies are both fun and tasty and I know we'll have a lot of buyers."

"I say we do the cookie fundraiser away from the Christmas season since cookies are always a big thing at Christmas," said Hugo matter of factly.

"It's good to see you all thinking these things out as it will make my job tonight a bitt easier," said Lily approvingly.

"Good to see this meeting going well for you, Lily," said Hugo radiantly.

"Up next, Stephanie Saver," called Lily.

"I really enjoy drawing and I'm a superb drawer so I thought I'd hold a picture drawing day where people could pay me to draw pictures of whatever they want and then donate all the money I make from that day to Worthy Wands," said Stephanie hopefully.

"Wow," said Lily cheerfully, "Not an idea I would have expected or thought but an a superb addition to our work here tonight.

Stephanie's face glowed, She didn't say anything but just took in the satisfaction of her idea winning Lily's approval.

"Up next, Samantha Saver," called Lily.

"I would like to record a Christmas album and sell it and then donate all the proceeds to worthy wands," said Samantha excitedly, "I could use the Room of Requirement as a recording studio to record a Christmas album and starting selling it on December 1st."

""Excellent idea, Samantha," said Lily in a pleased voice, "Obviously, the timing for this fundraiser has to be more specific but that actually helps me with my planning."

"My album will titled Samantha Saver's Secular Christmas. As an atheist, I find it frustrating that it is somewhat difficult to find Christmas albums that are devoted to entirely secular Christmas songs. So I'd like to help fill that area in the market," explained Samantha.

"As an atheist myself, I have had the same frustration," said Lily in understating, "I'm thrilled to see you filling that void and to have it be done for Worthy Wands is really special."

"I had a great idea," bragged Samantha, "YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT!"

"Yes, I do," smiled Lily.

"Up next, Ainsley Cochlain," called Lily.

"I really want to make friendship bracelets for all of us. I would make a friendship bracelet for everyone in this room and everyone else in our circle as well and sell each 1 to 1 of them with the proceeds going tp Worthy Wands. I know this limits- began Ainsley nervously

"I'm all for it, Ainsley," said Lily approvingly, "We have enough other ideas with broader potential and the idea of creating something meaningful for all of us appeals to me."

"Y-you l-like my idea?" squeaked Ainsley in a relived voice.

"Absolutely, " said Lily radiantly, "In fact, I think it will be special and meaningful to have 1 of the fundraisers be just between ourselves and our circle. I think your idea gives us a good complete list."

Ainsley bowed to Lily.

"It makes me feel warm and fuzzy to know you feel that way about my idea, Lily," said Ainsley softly.

"As for me," said Lily mysteriously , "I am going to be hosting a party that people will have to make a donation to get into but that they won't know the contents of until they are there. Now, I am ecstatic with the ideas you have presented. I expect all of you as well as Fred, Roxanne, Rose, and Pamela to be amongst the purchasers and several of these fundraisers have ways for me to involve Gary, Todd, and Miles as well. I also anticipate large numbers of buyers for most of these things."

James, Albus, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie all smiled at Lily.

"Please meet me here again next Saturday and I will present a schedule. All dismissed."

And as soon as Lily was back in her room, she got right to work on making up a fundraising schedule.

This was very satisfying work for Lily.

Lily couldn't wait to see how much they could for Worthy Wands that year.


	56. The Potter-Dursley Connection

On Sunday, October 18th. 2020 at 1:p.m. Hogwarts time, James, Albus, Devon and Lily held their weekly meeting in the Room of Requirement to learn about Potter-Dursley family history.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all opened their books to chapter 10 of the Potter-Dursley family history book. Chapter 10 was titled

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily read:

Dating back to the beginning of their traceable history, the Dursleys had always been a completely muggle family. Days, months, years, decades, generations, centuries, and even millennia passed and Dursley after Dursley continued to be completely muggle. This circumstance was aided by the fact the Dursleys had always been a 1 child per generation family. This reduced the number of marriages and therefore reduced the overall likelihood that any 1 of them might marry into a magical family. Time marched on and so did the Dursleys lack of magic. That all changed on April 4th, 2008 at 4:44 a.m. British time when Debra Dursley gave birth to her and Dudley Dursley's son Devon Dursley. Perhaps fittingly, the 1st ever magical Dursley took awhile before his wizardry showed itself. When Devon had been a toddler, preschooler, and kindergartener, he had shown ZERO signs of possessing magic. The majority of witches and wizards reveal their magic as babies prior to even turning 2 years old. While it is fairly common for muggleborn withes and wizards to reveal their magic a little later, say around age 3 or 4, the overwhelming majority of witches and wizards show signs of magic prior to their 5th birthday. In fact only 1-2 % of witches and wizards display their magic for the 1st time at a date later than their 5th birthday. Devon Dursley proved to be 1 such rare case of a late blooming wizard. On July 13th, 2014 at 2:22 p.m. British time, 6 year old Devon Dursley was playing in his room and misplaced his favorite toy train. As Devon's frustration grew, there came a nanosecond where Devon's beloved misplaced came zooming right into his hands, a classic case of accidental magic. Dudley knew enough about the Wizarding World to realize that what he had just seen was magic. He wasn't knowledgeable enough about the Wizarding World or about magic to know that Devon was a"late blooming wizard" so it was with an aura of calmness that Dudley explained to Debra what had happened and what it meant. Debra had no prior knowledge of the Wizarding World or magic. All she knew then was that she was going to support her son unconditionally and that she knew she could count on Dudley to do the same. Like all British witches and wizards, Devon received his Hogwarts letter on his 11th birthday. Devon had mixed feelings about taking up his place at Hogwarts. While he relished the opportunity to become a fully trained and qualified wizard, he was also very sad about leaving behind the 3 dear close friends he had in the muggle world, Miles Munson, Gary Coates, and Todd Murray. Devon had believed (incorrectly) that he would never see Miles, Gary, and Todd again after starting Hogwarts. However, being a firm believer that opportunity was both more important and more valuable than friendship, Devon never doubted that he made the right decision to take up his place at Hogwarts. On September 1st, 2019, Devon found himself standing outside the door of the very back compartment of the Hogwarts Express repeatedly dropping his trunk painfully on his right foot. After awhile, 2 children of his own age, Harry Potter's youngest child and only daughter Lily and Lily's closest cousin and BFF Hugo Weasley approached the compartment. Hugo entered the compartment and settled himself in but Lily stopped and helped Devon with his trunk, stowing it into the luggage rack for him. Doing this kind of favor for people was nothing new to Lily. In prior years, when James and Albus had come home for Christmas or for the summer, Lily had always carried their trunks to their rooms for them. Lily was the kind of person who frequently did courtesy favors for people, be it holding doors for people, helping people pick up things they had dropped, or helping people with their trunks. This "was who she was" and everyone who knew her appreciated her for it. Lily's gesture of helping Devon with his trunk that day made a lasting impression on Devon. Here he was struggling and here comes this total stranger of his own age who is only too happy to help him out. Devon was immediately struck by the kindness of an 11 year old girl. Not many people of that age did such favors for strangers. At that nanosecond, Devon realized he'd just met the most special friend he would ever make. However, he did have a moment of nervousness after he asked Lily her name and she had informed him that she was Harry Potter's daughter, Lily Potter. Devon had feared that Lily would not want to be his friend after she learned that he was Dudley Dursley's son due to the childhood enmity between Harry and Dudley. As kindly and warm hearted as Lily clearly was, Devon couldn't see her going against her father. But when Devon revealed to Lily that he was Dudley Dursley's son Devon, Lily vouched to give Devon a fair chance and judge Devon on his own merit and not his family's and assured Devon that Harry would want her to do so. This began 1 of the sweetest friendships in Hogwarts history. This meeting was also significant in that it was the 1st contact between a Potter and Dursley since the end of the 2nd Wizarding War. Had Devon not been magical, there may never have been any future contact between the Potters and the Dursleys despite the families being related. In the postwar era, the Potters and the Dursleys had gone from despising each other to simply being nowhere near each other's radar screens. They barely realized each other existed. Devon and Lily meeting on their 1st day at Hogwarts was the key both to reconnecting the families and healing the wounds between them. In their 1st 2 weeks at Hogwarts, Devon and Lily had not known that they were related and had developed a best friend relationship. Ironically, Lily was the person who was most able to comfort Devon after his Grandma Petunia had died a few days into his Hogwarts career. Then a couple of weeks into their Hogwarts careers, Devon and Lily discovered via Devon's family tree in the Room of Requirement that they were related as 2nd cousins. This didn't change their relationship much but it did make the bond between them feel stronger. Not too long into Devon's Hogwarts career, he would become quite close with Lily's older brother, James. It would take longer for Devon and Albus to bond although they were usually cordial to each other. But while the meeting between Devon and Lily was the key event to reconnecting the Potters and the Dursleys, Harry Potter himself played a key role in healing the wounds between them. When Harry was picking up his children at King's Cross to take them home for Christmas 2019, James and Lily had introduced Harry to their newest friends. While Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Ainsley all seemed like decent people during Harry's brief meeting with them, Harry noticed how overweight Devon was. Harry, knowing of the trust that existed between Devon and Lily, assigned Lily a mission to talk with Devon and get through to him about the dangers of his lifestyle. Lily succeeded in this mission and when Dudley became aware of this mission and its results, he realized that Harry and Lily were responsible for saving his son's life. This resulted in Dudley wishing to make a connection with Harry. Dudley and Harry met up for 1st time as adults that next summer and would maintain a cordial relationship the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, Devon only grew closer to all 3 of his 2nd cousins as time progressed, a circumstance sped up by the 4 having meetings in the Room of Requirement to learn about the Potter-Dursley family history. While there were a few flare ups during a couple of these meetings due to learning very emotional things, James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all were ultimately behind each other 100%. The close knit relationships between Devon and the 3 Potter siblings also helped to rebond Harry and Dudley as this meant they were seeing a lot of each other. From this point forward the Potters and Dursleys were rebonded.

"Wow!" chorused James and Lily in an awestruck voice after the reading was done, "July 13th at 2:22 p.m. British time! That's the date and time we were both born!"

"Really?' squealed Devon in disbelief.

"Really," chorused James and Lily.

"They were LIETRALLY born 4 years apart," explained Albus.

"I remember holding newborn baby Lily in my arms at the hospital just minutes after her birth," said James emotionally, "That is my earliest actual memory and that memory plays a role into why I still get some much warmth out of holding Lily in my arms and having her sit on my lap."

"I can feel that warmth being transferred from James to myself when he holds me or strokes/messes up my hair when I sit on his lap," said Lily in an =ly emotional voice.

"Fate works in funny ways," said Devon thoughtfully, "Maybe that's part of that bond between our families that I discovered my magic on the same date and at the same time as 2 of you were born.

"You know?" said Albus briskly, "My birthday is July 31st but my birth time was 4;44 a.m. British time."

"So you and I share a birth time?" Devon grinned at Albus, "So many cool twists here!"

"Looks like you have these various connections with all 3 of us," said Albus.

"It's so wonderful!" smiled Devon.

"I know 1 point we all come back to is that the Potters and the Dursleys were never supposed to be enemies," said James matter of factly.

"I couldn't be prouder to part of the generation that rebonded our families," said Lily radiantly, "Devon, James's, Albus's and my lives are far better because of your presence in them."

"The feeling is mutual," answered Devon emotionally.

"If I may ask?" said Lily, "Devon how do you feel about being an only child?"

"I love it," said Devon instantly, 'It means that Dudley and Debra have more time and attention for me at home, I am freed from potential sibling rivalry, I get my way in things, and Dudley and Debra can spend more on me because I'm the only kid in the house. I share the historical Dursley viewpoint that being an only child is better than having siblings for those reasons."

"You can argue it either way, but I love having a brother and sister," said James warmly, smiling at Albus and Lily, "With siblings, I don't get lonely at the house, I always have people to play with/talk with/ do things with and I have people to support me during any hard times that may come up."

"I'm in agreement with all that," said Lily, smiling warmly at her brothers, "Many experiences in my life have been more fulfilling because I have gotten to share them with James and Albus."

"You can argue it either way," said Albus thoughtfully, "I think most people will be likely biased towards whichever situation they are in themselves if they are happy with their lot in life. and biased the other way if they are unhappy with their lot in life."

"Nailed it on the head," smiled Lily.

"You know," said James thoughtfully, "I've always appreciated how Lily does all those favors for us, such as carrying our trunks to our rooms for us when we come home from Hogwarts. But it's really something to think that a gesture of Lily helping Devon with his trunk led to such a special relationship."

"What comes around goes around," said Devon, "Remember when Lily kind heartedly arranged for me to be reunited with Gary, Miles, and Todd last Thanksgiving and on Thanksgiving she got her prize(d) ring and made 3 new friends for herself into the bargain."

"Everything we're talking about here comes down to love and caring and kindness," said Lily meaningfully, "When Harry gave me that mission to help Devon, he did so because he cared. He cared about what happened to my friend and he was also concerned in general about a kid whose life he saw spiraling out of control. It was Dudley's love of his son that cause to appreciate what Harry and I did so much and want to make those connections."

"Lily is exactly right," said James firmly as Albus and Devon nodded fiercely, "Beautiful things grow from where love flows."

At that nanosecond, James, Albus, Devon, and Lily all engaged in a group hug and felt each other within themselves. At this nanosecond there were neither tears nor words nor anything tangible. It was simply a feeling, a feeling of being a special part of each other.

When they had let go, a note shot out of 1 of the now closed Potter-Dursley family history books.

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily huddled together to read it:

Dear James, Albus, Devon, and Lily:

Your meetings to study Potter-Dursley family history have now concluded. You have learned all the history you can and i am honor bound not to reveal anybody's future. All that is left for me to say is to encourage you 4 to stay as bonded with each other as you possibly can. It has been a pleasure teaching you about Potter-Dursley family history. I know i haven't come close to seeing the last of you as you will have other reasons to come see me, but you have now completed the Potter-Dursley family history course. As a reward for completing the course, i have treats for you that will present themselves after you finish reading this note, Well wishes

-The Room of requirement.

When James, Albus, Devon, and Lily had finished reading the note, it dissolved and a small bowl with 4 chocolate bars in it appeared. These were not James's beloved Old Faithful bars but they did have chocolate and marshmallow. In fact they had an outer chocolate layer topped with coconut and had a chocolate marshmallow filling. These chocolate bars were shaped like potatoes and called Idaho Spud bars.

Lily stood back as Devon, James, and Albus eagerly dug into the bowl and helped themselves to 1 candy bar each. After making sure that Devon, James, and Albus had all gotten theirs, Lily picked up the last candy bar in the bowl.

As had been the case with Old Faithful, the Idaho Spud bars were a smashing hit with James, Albus, Devon, and Lily, especially with James, who was in 7th heaven at any combination of chocolate and marshmallow.

After finishing the candy, James, Albus, Devon, and Lily hung back in the Room of Requirements for a few minutes just to savor each other's company.

This was the culmination of all these meeting in the Room of Requirement on Sunday afternoons.

They had all the knowledge they needed of Potter-Dursley family history and it was largely up to them to determine their futures.

There was an aura of peace about knowing everything.

And the connection they had felt during their group hug summed up everything.

They all loved each other with all their hearts and nothing was purer than love.


	57. Brotherly Love

On Monday, October 19th, 2020 at 11 p.m. Hogwarts time, James had another Wandmaking session with Olivander in the History of magic classroom.

"Mr. Olivander, " said James firmly when he walked into the classroom., "Tonight I am making a replica of my brother Albus's wand to give to him as a gift of brotherly love. My relationship with Albus is complicated and I do not wish to discuss its history with you."

"I respect that, Mr. Potter, as a teacher, private lives of my students are none of my business. It's your right to chose not to talk about your personal issues with me if you don't want to."

"Do know that Albus and I have become much closer brothers recently and I wish to make a replica of Albus's wand to give him as a gift of brotherly love," said James warmly.

"Good call, Mr. Potter," said Olivander approvingly. "12 inches, cedar and unicorn hair, stiff. I don't have any cedar wood here so you will need to use Transfiguration on an existing block of wood in order to obtain cedar wood."

This was a 1st in James's Wandmaking lessons but he was glad it had come up.

"I need to get my feet wet with idea of sometimes having to transfigure wood in the Wandmaking process," said James matter of factly, "It can only be good for me that this issue has come up early on in my lessons."

Olivander nodded in agreement and then absentmindedly opened a bottle of Strengthening Potion and pulled out a random block of wood. This random block of wood turned out to be willow and James pointed his wand at the willow block and performed Transfiguration.

Next nanosecond, the formerly willow block of was perfectly 100% cedar.

"Great job, Mr. Potter, I can see why you got that O+ in your Transfiguration O.W.L." said Olivander happily,

"I'm awesome at Transfiguration!," bragged James, "I'm better at Transfiguration than Ainsley Cochlain and that's saying something."

Truthfully, no one was better than Ainsley at Transfiguration. James was just as good though. But he couldn't pass up on opportunity to heap significant praise on himself in front of a legend like Olivander.

"Indeed, Mr. Potter you are a Transfiguration prodigy," said Olivander, now handing James a piece of unicorn hair he had taken out of a bottle of Temperament Potion while James had been transfiguring his block of wood from willow to cedar.

James set the piece of unicorn hair aside for the nanosecond and pointed his wand at his cedar block.

"Detachio!" cried James.

A strip of cedar of exactly 12 inches detached itself from the block and James repeated the process with the same results to obtain a 2nd 12 inch strip of cedar.

"Piece of cake," smirked James.

"Cedar is a pretty easy wood to work with in Wandmaking," explained Olivander, "You'll find unicorn hair easier to work with than dragon heartstring but harder to work with than phoenix feather."

"Got it," said James simply.

James set 1 of his cedar strips atop the unicorn hair on the side nearest him and cried "Attachio."

Some motion of the cedar occurred but no attachment to the unicorn hair took place. James kept trying and on his 4th attempt the cedar did attach itself to the unicorn hair. This was a far cry from his instant success with phoenix feather but better than the 7 attempts it had taken him to nail down dragon heartstring.

"Just like I said," Olivander reminded James, "Unicorn hair is easier to work with than dragon heartstring but harder to work with than phoenix feather."

"True," agreed James, "But my goal is to be nail all 3 on my 1st try by the end of the year. That is what the profession I hope to embark next year demands of me."

"You'll get there," said Olivander confidently.

James now took the step of heating his 1/2 done wand on the cauldron on high heat for 5 minutes.

When it came time to repeat the process, James's required attempts to attach the wood to the unicorn hair dropped from 4 to 3.

"Oh bravo!" beamed Olivander, "You're making quick progress."

"Yes!" smiled James, "I'm getting better already. I'll be a true master of all Wandmaking before you know it!"

After heating the full wand in the cauldron for 5 minutes, James used Lumos Maxima to apply the needed light to finish the wand and Olivander set it in a bottle of Cooling Potion as James departed for the evening.

No sibling time was held that night because Albus hadn't been feeling well and had chosen to go to bed early.

James and Lily respected this choice and took some 1 on 1 brother-sister time in James's room watching the 2005 film The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on James's DVD player.

Per usual, Olivander allowed James to use Wednesday, October 21st to write to the recipient of James's gift replica wand and gave James a brown bag to carry it in.

Fortunately, Albus felt much better and the 3 Potters were definitely having sibling time that night. James had also informed Lily that he had made a replica of Albus's wand on Monday night and would be presenting it to him before their sibling time that night.

When he was settled into a seat at the desk, James wrote:

Dear Albus:

Albus, in my most recent Wandmaking escapade, I made a replica of your wand to give as a gift to you. Each of my gift replica wands has a different meaning behind it. My gift to Lily of a replica of her wand was meant to inspire and motivate. My gift to Amy of a replica of her wand was meant to express apparition and emotion. My gift to you of replica of your is intended as a gift of brotherly love. After Harry's visit to Hogwarts, I asked myself what I could do to be a better brother to you in a moving forward kind of way. Like Harry, Ginny, and Pamela, I concluded the best way I could be a better brother to you was to allow you to feel more love from me. I wasn't sure how to go about that, but the sibling time sessions provided a natural opportunity for us to bond and for obvious reasons Amy's surgeries on us brought us closer together than ever. I present you a gift of a replica of my wand as a gesture of brotherly love in the hope that it will endure in your heart as an object of love. I don't question the past but I am 1000% committed to being the most loving brother I can possibly be for the rest of our lives and it was this love that fueled me to make you a gift replica of your wand. May this gift born from love fill your heart with the feeling of my love for all eternity.

Sincerely, with love in brotherhood.

James.

At midnight, James met with Albus and Lily in the Gryffindor Common Room.

James pulled the brown paper bag out of his right hand pocket and handed it to Albus.

Lily looked on with a radiant smile on her face as Albus opened the bag and discovered the replica of his wand and James's letter to him.

Lily lifted the replica of her wand that James had previously made for her out of its bag and into the air with her right hand.

Noticing this, Albus simultaneously raised the replica of his wand that James had just presented into the air with his right hand.

Both Albus and Lily continued to hold their replica wands in the air and smiled at each other and James.

Finally Albus spoke up.

"James," said Albus emotionally, "It means more to me than I can you tell you that you would include me on the list of replica wand recipients. It is precious that you would put both time and effort into making me such a gift. This replica of my wand will now forever be a cherished possession of mine. I will let it serve as a permeant symbol and reminder of the genuine love that you have for me. Ever since you and Lily recovered from Magical Core Depletion Virus with donor cores from me, I have felt love from both of you in a way that is indescribable. I was starting to feel that love you talked about in your letter more and more as we had more and more sibling time together after Harry, Ginny, and Pamela saw to it that the issue of our relationships with each other got the attention it needed. But something happened inside of all of us after Amy's surgeries on us. But I think the reason this replica wand means as much to me as it does is that it represents a feeling of being loved by you just as much you love Lily. Prior to Harry's, Ginny's. and Pamela's intervention, I am guessing that I would not have been on the list of people to receive a replica wand from you. But now, I see that you've made Lily a replica wand and now just 2 weeks later you've made me 1 too. This gift really gives me that feeling of being an = Potter."

James smiled at Albus.

"Albus you are absolutely right," said James honestly, "You were not 1 of the people on my original list to make replica wands for. After we started our sibling time sessions I considered adding you to the list. But after our Magical Core Replacement surgeries it became an easy decision to add you to the list and to also bump you towards the front of the line. The best thing that ever happened to all 3 of us was when Lily and I got Magical Core Depletion Virus. I too have felt that "indecrsible love from you and Lily that you just talked about. It means the world to me tonight that I could you with that gift"

"And I too have felt that same indescribable love from both of you ever since Amy operated on us," added Lily, "Remember, we are no longer normal siblings. We are siblings who share siblings inside us. There is something special and wonderful about us all having magical cores inside of us that came from the same magical core."

"Albus," said James meaningfully, "I'm really gratified that you have taken my gift of a replica of your wand as a symbol and reminder of my love. That's exactly what I hoped it would represent to you."

"James," said Albus, "I have felt your love more and more recently but tonight when I read your letter and received your gift of a replica of my wand was the moment I truly felt I was the = of Lily in your eyes."

With Albus and Lily still holding their replica wands in their hands in the air, James picked up Albus in his left hand and Lily in his right hand and held them both above his head.

Still holding both Albus and Lily with just 1 hand each, James took a jog around the Gryffindor Common Room.

It was a wonderful feeling for both Albus and Lily to share this experience with James. An awesome view provided by their loving brother.

Albus and Lily relished the view from atop their brother. It was the perfect combination of love and beauty.

And it didn't end there. James walked towards the portrait hole and with his hands full and Albus and Lily not in position to help him with the door at the height were, James opened the portrait hole with his right shoulder and prowled out onto the grounds with big bro and big sis still soaring on his hands.

James gave Albus and Lily a complete magnificent tour of the Hogwarts grounds.

It was a clear crisp night with a cool breeze and you could see some stars.

The whole experience gave James, Albus, and Lily amongst the warmest hearts they had ever had. They would NEVER forget tonight.

Seeing the castle, Hagrid's hut, the Quidditch pitch, the courtyard, the Forbidden Forest, and more from this view with James holding them was gorgeously surreal.

James ended the tour by the Black Lake.

Finally setting Albus and Lily down, James pulled his wand out of his left hand pocket, raised it, and cried, "Accio rafts."

3 rafts came zooming towards them.

"Albus, Lily, if you 2 are okay with it, I'd like to spend our sibling time tonight rafting on the Black Lake," requested James.

"But of course," chorused Albus and Lily in literal unison, "After what you've done for us how could we not grant you the favor of making that choice!"

James, Albus, and Lily all striped themselves naked and each took a raft.

Lily pulled her real wand out of her right hand pocket and cried "Currentify!"

Next nanosecond, a strong current was produced on the Black Lake.

James, Albus, and Lily took off rafting and laughing.

They had so much fun rafting together and were so enjoying the thrill that it was past 3 a.m. before the walked back to Gryffindor Tower and they hadn't had a clue how late it had gotten or how long they'd been on the lake.

And that was okay. They didn't regret it and were sure Harry and Ginny would be pleased that they had taken an extra long sibling time session.

On this night, James, Albus, and Lily all realized the meaning what had happened.

On this night, they had finally reached that point where as much as they were James, Albus, and Lily, they were =ly Potter, Potter, and Potter.


	58. Meaningful Match

On Saturday, October 24, 2020. the 1st Quidditch match of the season was held as Gryffindor took on Slytherin.

This was a few weeks earlier than normal but as both Gryffindor and Slytherin had had ample practices both Gryffindor captain Wesley Wood and Slytherin captain Ernie McMillian Jr. were okay with this.

As Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Stephanie. Samantha, Ainsley and Lily entered the Gryffindor changing room and put on their scarlet Quidditch robes, Lily looked around at Ainsley and something sank in on her.

Lily then looked around at all her teammates and made an emotional plea.

"Hey, " said Lily emotionally, "As you all know, this is Ainsley's last year at Hogwarts. Therefore, this year is her finally opportunity to win a Quidditch Cup with Gryffindor. Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Samantha, Stephanie, I say we should dedicate this season to Ainsley."

Lily had an idea but she would need 6 helpers. She therefore said, "Wesley, Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Samantha, Stephanie please come here. "

Wesley, Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Samantha, and Stephanie all crowed around Lily and she whispered something quietly in their ears.

Next nanosecond Wesley, Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily all raised their wands above their heads.

Wesley, Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily all waved their wands in the air and next nanosecond the word A-I-N-S-L-E-Y was spelled out in the air in glowing neon letters.

Wesley, Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Samantha, Stephanie and Lily then waved their wands a 2nd time and to the right of A-I-N-S-L-E-Y appeared the message WE YOU !

Ainsley felt her insides warm to the point of feeling blue hot as she looked up at the moving tribute her captain and teammates had just given her.

"Thanks, everyone, for the tribute," said Ainsley meaningfully, "I am very touched. And especially thank you, Lily for the dedication."

"The rest of us will have other opportunities in the future," said Lily passionately, "But for Ainsley, this season is it. It's her last chance at another Quidditch Cup. Let's all put our hearts and souls into winning the 2020-2021 Quidditch Cup for Ainsley."

Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all looked directly at Ainsley and chorused "Win 1 for Ainsley!"

Ainsley felt something special hitting her heart as the team galloped out onto the pitch. Everyone was committed to making this season special for her.

These people were truly her friends and not just her teammates.

Fittingly, it was Ainsley who took the opening faceoff for Gryffindor. She was feeding off the emotion of the day and felt a kindred spirit inside of her.

Unlike the previous year's Gryffindor-Slytherin match, the weather was perfect. It was 75 degrees and the sky was blue and clear.

James was calling the commentary as usual.

"Ainsley Cochlain of Gryffindor opening up against Megan Nash of Slytherin. Madam Macavoy tosses the quaffle into the air. Cochlain out jumps Nash to gain possession of the Quaffle for Gryffindor. " called James through the microphone, "Cochlain looks north up pitch. Dursley is wide open. Cochlain tosses the quaffle ahead to Dursley, PERFECT PASS! Prevent drifts too far left. Dursley short shot towards the right hoop. DEVON DURSLEY SCORES! 10 POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!"

It couldn't have been more fitting, Ainsley with her special season and Devon finally playing in his 1st match, hooking up for the 1st goal of the Quidditch season.

Devon was quickly erasing the doubts his poor practices had given Wesley about keeping him on the team.

"Bortles with possession of the quaffle. Bortles throws a pass for Hafner. Intercepted by Dursley! Bortles, Hafner and Nash don't realize what has happened and are still flying towards the south end of the pitch. This leaves Dursley, Cochlain, and Weasley by themselves. Prevent plays the middle hoop, Dursley has Weasley on his left and Cochlain on his right. Dursley with an underhanded pass to Cochlain. Prevent moves right. Cochlain shoots. SHE'S BEATEN HIM! AINSLEY COCHLAIN SCORES! GRYFFINDOR LEADS 20-0!"

Things couldn't be going any better.

Ainsley, Devon, and Roxanne worked in a perfect tandem. It was jaw dropping how their passes could hit each perfectly in the hands, It was as though it was Joe Montana throwing to Jerry Rice. This set up excellent scoring chances on easy shots.

Eventually, Ainsley and Devon would score goal 5 goals apiece. Roxanne didn't have much to do in this match in terms of shooting but she didn't mind if her team won. Besides, this was Ainsley's special year and Devon's 1st ever match. They deserved the glory on this day. And Roxanne had never given a damn about the spotlight anyway. Just win baby. Sometimes, that meant stepping aside and letting teammates shine. Ainsley and Devon were shooting so well that why should she try to shoot. She was more valuable to her team passing today and as long as Gryffindor won, that was all good.

Unfortunately for Slytherin, Megan, Nicole, and Natalie got very frustrated after Gryffindor's 2nd goal and started playing poorly, dropping passes left and right and getting a small number of shots on goal. And Samantha saved the few shots they did get on goal with ease, bragging about it every time.

"No one's EVER scoring on me," she would smirk as she puffed out her chest.

Fred and Stephanie didn't have as much to do as in some prior matches as the bludgers seemed docile on this day. It seemed easy for Fred and Stephanie to swat them away with gentle taps of their bats when they did become a factor.

Finally, Lily saw the snitch hovering towards midpitch and made a sharp turn. Unfortunately, Lily had overflown the snitch. But was that going to deter Gryffindor? Not if Lily had anything to say about it. There was a major advantage to the fact that Lily was wearing flip flops. Though Lily had zoomed past the snitch, it was still visible to her behind her.

Lily stuck her left foot out behind and tried to catch the snitch with her toes.

Incredibly...

"Lily Potter has the snitch in between her the 2 leftmost toes on her left foot," announced James in amazement, "Unfortunately the rules of Quidditch require hand possession for a catch to count. "

Upon hearing this, Lily bent down and plucked the snitch out of her toes with her right hand. She then secured her right hand into a fist and held it around the snitch for several seconds.

"LILY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" yelled James ecstatically, "GRYFFINDOR WINS 250-0! YES! YES! YES!"

Fred, Devon, Roxanne, Stephanie, Samantha, Ainsley, and Lily all ran towards the center of pitch and shared a gigantic group hug.

Wesley and James quickly ran to join them and Albus and Hugo also ran down from the stands.

"Big sis!" exalted James radiantly, "That was the most resourceful play I've ever seen by a Quidditch player. Using your toes to gain possession of the snitch was truly ingenious!"

"Big sis," beamed Albus in an =ly proud voice, "That was a perfect way for you to win a match. You should keep this snitch and hang it in our trophy room at Potter Manor next to the snitch you caught in your 1st match last year."

"Thanks a lot, baby bros," smiled Lily, "I can't wait to hear what Harry thinks of what I did today. But it wasn't all about me. Samantha shut out Slytherin as usual."

"Of course, "said Samantha boastfully, "I'm the best damn Keeper in the world and you better know it. In fact, I'm the best athlete in the world. Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, Mike Trout, etc, all have NOTHING on me. I gave us yet another shutout and have NEVER let a goal in in either soccer or Quidditch. YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT!"

"And let's not forget the play of Ainsley and Devon at Chaser," said Lily.

"Hey, Devon, you now have the Chaser spot permanently. Your practices may not be great but you have shown you come to play when it's all on the line." Said Wesley proudly.

"Didn't I tell you that would happen?" grinned Hugo.

"Yes, you did, "admitted Wesley, "After Devon won the Chaser trail fair and square, it was wrong of me to try to bump him from the team without letting him play in a match 1st."

Devon went up to Hugo and embraced him.

"Hugo," said Devon with his eyes watering, "Thank you. Thank you for sticking up for me at your own expense when you knew it was right thing to do. You could easily have jumped at the opportunity Wesley presented you to take my Chaser spot and didn't. I had my rightful opportunity today because of your spirit of friendship and fair mindedness."

"Hugo, like all Weasleys has always been infinitely fair minded," said Lily proudly, "Besides, he'll get another chance next year when Ainsley is gone."

"Lily, you gave me great encouragement all along. From convincing me to lose weight and change my eating habits to persuading me to try out to believing all along that I could do what I did today, your support never wavered."

"Devon, I couldn't be prouder of you and Gryffindor couldn't have gained a better new player this year. You've come so far from being that fat boy you were last year," Said Lily warmly.

"Big sis, do not use that offensive 3 letter f word," asked James.

"Sorry about that baby bro," said Lily quickly, "And Ainsley, you were awesome out there today."

"I want to make my last year a good 1," said Ainsley fiercely, "I fed off the emotion of having the season dedicated to me and being given such a heartfelt tribute. I love all my teammates with all my heart and it matters deeply that me that my teammates care so much."

Ainsley felt this within her and so did Lily and everyone else.

This team truly had a special bond.


	59. Splitting Charms

On Monday October 26, 2020, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily would attend a very important Charms lesson.

When Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily entered their Charms classroom, they saw a box of styrofoam blocks sitting on Flitwick's desk. They all recognized instantly that these blocks would be what they would be performing whatever Charm they were learning on this day on.

"Today is a major lesson." said Flitwick clearly when Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily were all seated at desks. "Today we will be learning about Splitting Charms, Splitting Charms are an important skill for witches and wizards and competent witches and wizards will master them quickly. However, you should be aware that you will now start to see a progression of Charms skills becoming more difficult. Splitting Charms are not as easy as, say, Levitation Charms, but, with practice, all competent witches and wizards should master them. Now there are some similarities between Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Both use incantations but also require more than just the incantations to be successful. But can any of you tell me the important difference between Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"While success at Defense Against the Dark Arts is more about mental willpower, Charms is more about concentration and focus," said Lily confidently.

"Precisely Miss Potter, 10 points to Gryffindor," beamed Flitwick, "To perform Charms spells you really have to be focused on what you're doing."

Flitwick now passed out the 10 inch styrofoam blocks to Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily and explained how Splitting Charms worked.

"The incantation to perform a Splitting Charm is "Detachio" said Flitwick clearly, "You will be performing a simple Splitting Charm today. Everyone please put his or her styrofoam block in front of himself or herself."

Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all placed their styrofoam blocks directly in front of themselves.

"As you can see," continued Flitwick, "these styrofoam blocks are 10 inches long. Your task in this lesson is to cut off 2 inches. In order for the spell to work you will need to create a clear mental image in your head of a 2 inch piece of the styrofoam block separated from the other 8 inches. Much like the basic Color Change Charms we learned early last year, simple Splitting Charms are achievable for any competent witch or wizard who can focus. The level of success in simple Splitting Charms is directly proportional to level of focus. Have at it 2nd years"

Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all pointed their wands directly at their styrofoam blocks and cried "Detachio!"

Predictably, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all had varying levels of success on their 1st attempt.

Lily had detached exactly a 2 inch piece of styrofoam off her block.

"Splendid work, Miss Potter," said Flitwick in a delighted voice, "20 points to Gryffindor!"

Lily smiled warmly and her eyes lit up as pride engulfed her. She had earned 30 points for Gryffindor in this lesson alone.

"Good job, Lily," said Hugo proudly, his voice trailing into despair as Flitwick looked at his work.

Hugo had managed to cut off 4 inches of styrofoam from his block.

"You mind was wandering too much, Mr. Weasley, "said Flitwick matter of factly, "The worse your focus is, the more off your results are in Charms. With simple Splitting Charms, poor focus means detaching too much."

"My strength as a student is Wandless Magic such as Potions and Herbology, "said Hugo bluntly, "Charms is not my strong suit. I've never been a great concentrater of course. "

"Hugo," said Lily supportively, "It was only your 1st attempt and you were able to get an O in Charms last year. Focus is always important in Charms but 2nd year Charms are a bit more difficult than 1st year Charms. You'll get it, don't worry."

"Thank you for your unwavering support Lily," said Hugo gratefully, "But you do know that my real strength is Wandless Magic, right?"

"No reason you can't be an O student in 2nd year Charms, Hugo," said Lily fiercely, "I'll admit, 3rd year, you probably aren't an O student in Charms but any quality wizard can achieve an O 2nd year Charms."

Hugo smiled at Lily

Hearing Lily express that kind of faith in him and support him increased Hugo's resolve and he said, "I'll made it a goal of mine to O 2nd year Charms."

"That's the spirit, Hugo," said Lily encouragingly.

At the next desk, Devon's results were encouraging. He had split a 2.1 inch section of styrofoam off his block.

"You're almost there, Mr. Dursley, "said Flitwick approvingly, "A couple more attempts and you'll nail it."

Devon smiled, clearly pleased with his progress.

"Dudley expects me to be an O student in Charms throughout my Hogwarts career. It may take more effort as the years go by but goddammit I'm going to O Charms all 7 years I'm at Hogwarts and I'm going to make Dudley proud."

"Yes, you are, Devon," chorused Hugo and Lily.

"Devon, please do not take god's name in vain," asked Stephanie politely.

"Sorry Stephanie," apologized Devon and the issue quickly passed.

Ainsley meanwhile, had removed 3 inches of styrofoam from her block.

"It could be better, but not too bad for a 1st attempt," observed Flitwick.

"I agree that we can all O 2nd year Charms," said Ainsley briskly, "But I don't see Charms as my best subject in the long run. That said, I'm an excellent student overall and being an E student in Charms long term is a reasonable goal for me."

"I agree with that assessment Miss Cochlain," said Flitwick simply.

"Strive to be your best, whatever your best may be," Lily advised Ainsley.

"Well said, Lily," beamed Ainsley.

At the final desk, Samantha had detached 3.75 inches of styrofoam from her block.

"I think my case is like Hugo's," said Samantha honestly, "In the long run I don't think Charms will be my subject."

"That's okay if it turns out to be the case," said Lily firmly, "We all have different strengths and weakness."

"The important thing is to keep working. Put the effort into it and maximize results." Said Samantha crisply.

"Exactly Samantha, exactly," said Lily, nodding her head.

Stephanie meanwhile, had, like Lily, cut away exactly 2 inches of styrofoam from her block.

"Excellent job, Miss Saver," Flitwick complimented Stephanie, "You are very good at focusing on things."

"Indeed," said Stephanie, "I'm the opposite of Hugo. I suck at Wandless Magic and I am in my element with a wand in my hand. Like Lily and Devon, I expect O's in Charms in all 7 of my Hogwarts years."

"You will achieve that goal, Steph," I know you will," said Lily confidently.

"I'm feeling good about myself," beamed Stephanie.

"And you should, Stephanie, "said Lily cheerfully, "You have a lot to offer as a witch."

Next nanosecond, Flitwick waved his wand across the room and all 6 styrofoam blocks had been put back to a portion of exactly 10 inches again.

"Try again," ordered Flitwick.

Cries of "Detachio" filled the room as they kept practicing simple Splitting Charms for the rest of the hour.

Lily and Stephanie were on a roll all class long.

Devon perfected simple Splitting Charms on his 2nd attempt and breezed from there.

Ainsley mastered them on her 4th attempt. She had an occasional foul up but had more 2 inch results than not as the hour progressed.

Although it took them many attempts. Hugo and Samantha eventually succeeded in removing exactly 2 inches from the blocks. After they hit it the 1st time, Hugo and Samantha had several more successful attempts though less consistently than Ainsley.

"Because you all eventually were able to remove portions of exactly 2 inches, everyone gets an O for this lesson." Said Flitwick as the bell rang.

Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all felt good about themselves as they left their Charms classroom.

Sure, it may be more of a struggle for Hugo and Samantha where it might come more easily to Devon, Stephanie, and Lily with Ainsley somewhere in between. But they had no doubt now that they could all get grades of O in 2nd year Charms.

Yes, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily were all going to get grades of O in 2nd year Charms. Lily KNEW this.


	60. Imperius Curse Lesson

After Charms, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily would attend a crucial Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson.

"Good morning 2nd years," said Professor McMillan as Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily entered their Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and took seats, "We have a very important lesson today. Today we will be practicing resisting the Imperius Curse. On some level this lesson goes to having more advanced and accelerated Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons in the New Era of Hogwarts. It should be noted that only 1ce in Hogwarts history has this lesson ever been taught and that was the year leading up to the 2nd rise of Lord Voldemort. From here on out, resisting the Imperius Curse will be taught at Hogwarts as part of 2nd year Defense Against the Dark Arts. This year I will be teaching every class in years 2-7 how to resist the Imperius Curse so that all current students will be brought up to speed on it. I intend to spend a few lessons on this topic and do not expect anyone to master it today. In fact, I expect you all to struggle today. I hope you will all get progressively better each lesson. No grades will be given out today due to my expectation of struggle. So, Mr. Dursley, please up to the front of the classroom."

Devon calmly walked up to the front of the classroom and waited for Professor McMillan to give him further instructions.

Without warning, Professor McMillan pointed his wand directly at Devon and cried "Imperio!"

" _Walk up to Miss Potter from behind and punch her on the back,"_ said a voice inside Devon's head.

Lacking control, Devon walked up to Lily and punched her hard on the back.

"OUCH!" cried Lily and the sound of her voice brought Devon back to his senses.

"Lily," said Devon ruefully, "I'm sorry, that can't have been fun for you."

"You had no control, Devon," said Lily matter of factly, "That is an important point here and it is why Professor McMillan didn't tell you he was about to put the curse on you but just did it. There's an important point to made here about the level of influence the Imperius Curse can have on a person."

"Exactly, Miss Potter, 5 points to Gryffindor for your astute observation." said Professor McMillan.

Devon and Lily both smiled. It made Devon feel better that Lily had just won points for Gryffindor. Devon's guilt about punching his BFF on the back abated and was replaced with pride in seeing her win house points.

"Mr. Dursley, you have nothing to be ashamed of, that is the result I expect on a 1st attempt," said Professor McMillan calmly, "Now that you know what it feels like I exepct to be able to resist the curse a little in our next lesson. You may sit down again,"

Devon went back to his seat and Professor McMillan called "Mr. Weasley, you next,"

Hugo slowly and nervously rose from his seat and walked up to the front of the classroom.

Almost instantly, Professor McMillan aimed his wand right at Hugo and cried "Imperio!"

A voice awoke in Hugo's head, " _Gallop to where Miss Potter and step on her feet as hard as possible."_

Hugo couldn't gain control anymore than Devon had and he did gallop straight up to Lily's seat and he did step on her feet as hard as he could, a particularly painful experience for Lily since she was a flip flop wearer.

"YIKES," squeaked Lily. and as it had for Devon, the sound of Lily's voice brought Hugo back into conciseness.

"My apologies, Lily," said Hugo uncomfortably, "You're taking the brunt of all this aren't you?"

"I am," said Lily clearly, "But that's okay. Think about how you lacked control and today and use it as motivation to improve at resisting the curse."

"That's great advice, Lily, "said Hugo approvingly, "Remember that Hermione expects me to be an O student in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Dudley also expects me to improve my Defense Against the Dark Arts grade tp O this year," added Devon.

"You will both achieve Os in Defense Against the Dark Arts by the end of the year," said Lily confidently, "Remember we aren't being graded on our performance today as Professor McMillan knew all along we wouldn't see much success on the 1st attempts."

"Exactly," said Professor McMillan "The whole point of making this a several lessons topic is to give you all time to work on this and improve. You didn't need the pressure of grades today. What is needed from today's lesson is for all of you can gain an appreciation for the control potential that the Imperius Curse has and for that to lead you to mutative yourselves to improve at resisting the curse. Mr. Weasley, back to your desk."

Hugo sat down again and Professor McMillan instructed "Miss Cochlain, your turn."

Right away, Professor McMillan positioned his wand straight at Ainsley and cried "Imperio!"

" _Run into the wall,"_ said a voice in Ainsley's head.

Ainsley instantly ran into the wall with the speed of a cheetah chasing its prey and crashed into it hard.

"DAMN!' yelled Ainsley, "That hurt!"

Regaining an awareness of her environment, Ainsley looked around and said, "I didn't even think about running into the wall. I just did what voice in my told me to do and I didn't even think at all about retarded what I was doing actually was."

"That's exactly the way the Imperius Curse works," explained Professor McMillan, "It wipes your head clean and puts you in a euphoric but obedient state. It takes strong willpower to resist it. Few people, even straight O students in Defense Against the Dark Arts, will ever resist it on a 1st attempt. You have to know what it feels like before you can resist it. I'm glad to see you all picking up on what's going on here. Miss Cochlain, regain your seat."

Ainsley returned to her desk and Professor McMillan announced "Now, Miss Samantha Saver."

With 0 hesitation, Professor McMillan directed his wand perfectly at Samantha and cried "Imperio!"

A voice floated into Samantha mind that said, " _Run up to the classroom door and bang your head on it."_

No better able to resist the curse than those who had gone before her and she sprinted up to the door and started banging her head on it. After a few bangings of her head on the door, Samantha came out of her eutrophic and obedient stage and said "I'm sore. Maybe that's not a bad thing though. Part of learning is really feeling things. This much more of a genuine piece of actual education than reading out of a textbook."

"Exactly Miss Saver, " said Professor McMillan, "Defense Against the Dark Arts is a practical subject, not a book learning subject. You can sit back down now."

Samantha galloped back to her seat Stephanie walked up to the front of the room without being asked.

Next nanosecond, Professor McMillan placed his wand exactly at Stephanie and cried "Imperio!"

Stephanie felt the voice float into her head, " _Bang your knees on the nearest chair."_

Stephanie had no more luck than anyone else and she waded her way to nearest chair and started banging her knees against it. She did this several times before the pain brought her back to reality and she lamented "We're 0 for 5."

"That's totally fine, Miss Saver, "I expected that," replied Professor McMillan patiently, "You are all starting at the beginning."

"Aren't you, as a teacher, a little disappointed to not to see better performances out of your students?' Stephanie asked Professor McMillan.

"Not today," answered Professor McMillan patiently, "But I will be a few lessons down the road if I don't see the improvement I expect. Now, make yourself comfortable again Miss Saver."

Stephanie took a seat again and Lily slowly inched up to the front of the classroom.

Quick as lightning, Professor McMillan pointed his wand directly at Lily and cried "Imperio!"

A voice did indeed wake in Lily's head that instructed her to _"Jump onto the desk. Jump onto the desk."_

Yet another voice inside of her objected to these orders. _That's a really retarded idea. Don't do something retarded and hurt yourself."_

These voices competed with each other for about a minute, then as she heard " _Jump onto the desk."_ 1 more time she yelled out, "NO!"

There was a nanosecond pause and then Lily went on.

'NO I WON'T JUNP ONTO THAT DESK! I'D HURT MYSELF!"

Everyone, including Professor McMillan, sat stunned.

"Miss Potter, you have done the impossible!" squealed Professor McMillian, "With 0 training or experience you fought off the curse entirely! 1 trillion points to Gryffindor for Miss Potter's triumph! Let's have a round of applause for Miss Lily Luna Potter."

Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie. and even Professor McMillian himself burst into huge applause and chanted "Lily! Lily! Lily!"

"That felt great," admitted the humble Lily, "I hope what I just did inspires my classmates. You know, Lily fought off the Imperius Curse completely and so can we."

Lily smiled as she returned to her desk.

Everyone felt good as they had a few minutes of class left to talk.

"Lily, darling," said Devon radiantly, "That's the best piece of practical Defense Against the Dark Arts I've seen since I joined the Wizarding World and I'm really proud of you. You really are the brightest witch of your age!"

"To see my closest cousin and BFF do this well is an awesome feeling," agreed Hugo, "That was amazing."

"Lily truly is Harry's daughter," said Ainsley warmly, "The apple didn't fall far from the tree. Great work, Lily."

"Lily's just awesome," said Samantha proudly, "It's a great feeling to be in the presence of someone so special and so talented."

"Indeed," smiled Stephanie, "Lily, lovely Lily."

"Thank you everyone," said Lily sincerely and Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie all smiled at her glowingly with warmth in their eyes.

"Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie" said Lily fiercely, "Sometime soon, you are going to make me feel just as good and I'm going to be just as proud of you! I KNOW that!" :)


	61. The Hogwarts Planning Club Meets Again

On the night of Monday , October 26th, 2020, at 7 P.M. Hogwarts time, the Hogwarts Planning Club convened for a general meeting.

James, Hugo, Devon, Albus, Fred, Roxanne and Lily all met up in the History of Magic classroom at 7 p.m. Hogwarts time.

"Good evening Hogwarts Planning Club!" said James eagerly, "As you know, we previously planned Halloween at Hogwarts for this year and we will get to see that come to fruition this Saturday. Tonight's meeting is of a more generic sense. Professor McGonagall has asked us to come up with some general ideas for Hogwarts. So let's get to it. As president of the Hogwarts Planning Club, I am the 1 who will present your ideas to McGonagall if I think they have merit. McGonagall has asked for at least 3 and up to 6 ideas so if all goes well I will not making any suggestions myself as I hope all 6 of you will present me with suitable ideas. Devon, you 1st as always."

"I know!" piped up Devon instantly, "You remember how, last year, before the Hogwarts Writing Competition winners were announced, we had a big BBQ feast with BBQ chicken, hot dogs, and hamburgers?"

"Yes!" answered James, Hugo, Fred, Albus, Roxanne and Lily together.

"Well," smiled Devon, "That night was the Friday before Easter and I really enjoyed that feast. I think it would be awesome if we were to make the Friday before Easter a BBQ feast night every year."

"Devon. that's completely brilliant! Take an idea that was awesome but overshadowed and bring it back. Of course I will take this idea to McGonagall and of course she will approve it!" said James in a supremely confident voice.

"Great call, Devon" agreed Lily, "Hogwarts has had many feasts in its illustrious history but that was the 1st ever BBQ feast ever hosted at Hogwarts."

"It made for an enjoyable change of pace from the typical Hogwarts feasts," said Hugo happily.

"To keep it unique at Hogwarts, it should just be that 1 time per year," said Albus crisply.

"Albus is right here," agreed Fred, "Do anything too often and it fades into ordinariness."

"James should make that point clear to McGonagall when he presents this idea to her," said Lily.

"I will," promised James, "Next idea?"

"I have a bit of a concern regarding the library," said Albus in a businesslike voice.

"What is your concern, Albus," asked James seriously.

"Well, some Ravenclaw students are book hogs," explained Albus, "Here's the deal; some Ravenclaws circumvent the due date system for returning library books by simply checking the book out again on the due date. There is no rule against this. As long as a student takes a book into the library on its due date he or she reserves the right to check it out again. This process is currently allowed to be repeated an innumerable number of times. The overwhelming majority of Hogwarts students are very respectful of the spirit that library books are meant to shared. However, there are times and cases where the handful of Ravenclaws who are greedy about library books cause certain library books to become unavailable to the general student population for unreasonably long periods of time. I suggest that a more strict enforcement of the due date policy be set. Students should be required to return library books on their due date and 1ce a student has checked out a library book 1ce he or she should be ineligible to check the same book out again for the rest of the semester. That would cap the number of times any specific student could check out any specific book to 2 times per school year."

"That's not the only problem with the due date system," offered Lily, "Students are currently able to pick their own due dates to begin with. Even if James were to take Albus's idea to McGonagall and she were to approve it, students could still circumvent the system by choosing far out due dates. A firm guideline for the length of time a student may take out a library book must also be established for Albus's idea to do any good."

"I don't think book hogging is an epidemic," said Roxanne matter of factly, "But for some less common books that are in shorter supply it doesn't have to be widespread to be problematic. The stricter due date policy should be adopted."

"Besides," added Devon reasonably, "How much more can you gain by reading the same book over and over and over again. At some point you've learned all you can learn from that book so let others have a chance to read it."

"Exactly," agreed Hugo, "And even with books that are stories, how many times can you read the same story?"

"That's an excellent point, Devon, Hugo," said Lily crisply, "No one should be hurt by establishing a strict due date policy for library books."

"I think McGonagall will have a "why didn't I think about that before" type reaction to this idea" suggested James, "I know library books are considered 1st come 1st serve. But Albus, Lily, you guys just hit on some notable points about students circumventing the system. In the New Era of Hogwarts, everyone gets a fair shake. Next idea."

"My idea," offered up Hugo, "Relates to students who do not perform as they would like on their end of year exams. I believe students should be allowed 1 opportunity to retake any or all of their exams in early August."

"There are some cases in which that would be only fair due to extenuating circumstances," said Lily matter of factly,

"Sometimes people need a 2nd chance and the results of these exams do have significant consequences," observed Devon, "We're not talking about giving students an unlimited number of chances. We are talking about an opportunity for 1 redo."

"A key point here," said Fred briskly, "Is that it is not all or nothing. A student could choose to let most of his or her grades stand but only redo his or her Charms exam."

"I think a fair number of students would take advantage of this opportunity if it were offered," said Roxanne simply.

"I do not know what McGonagall would think of such an idea," said James honestly, "As students are expected to take preparing for their exams seriously and are fully aware of their potential consequences due to either stellar or stinky results, I would guess McGonagall would say that the onus is on the student to do what he or she needs to do to achieve a successful result at the time the test is administered. Nevertheless, I will inform McGonagall of your suggestion and ask what she thinks. I do think the idea deserves to be heard. Fred, any ideas?"

"Absolutely," smiled Fred, "I know the Hogwarts Writing Competition was a smash hit last year, "Well I think that Hogwarts could hold a different type of competition this year. In fact, I think it would be super cool and super exciting if Hogwarts were to hold a different type of competition every year."

"YES!" chorused James, Albus, and Lily eagerly.

"You know," said Hugo thoughtfully, "The idea for the Hogwarts Writing Competition was announced last Thanksgiving. Perhaps it could become an annual Thanksgiving tradition at Hogwarts to announce that year's competition."

"The Hogwarts Planning Club probably doesn't have much planning to do for Thanksgivings," noted Devon, "We could decide in our meetings what the year's competition is going to be and McGonagall could then announce it on Thanksgiving."

"We could all provide suggestions for the year's competition and we could then vote on which 1 wins, just like how we voted to have Scary Halloween this year," added Devon.

"When the winners would be announced could be varied by year depending on how much time each competition could reasonably expected to take," said Lily simply.

"My belief is that McGonagall will be receptive to this idea as long as the amount of the teachers' time it takes up is limited," said James crisply, "Roxy, your turn."

"Actually," said Roxanne bluntly, "I'd like to expand on Hugo's idea. You see, I think too much weight is given to end of year exams as it now stands at Hogwarts. In the muggle world, students can still pass a course if they had a bad day on finals because homework and midterm exam grades are counted towards a final course grade. It is my view that if a student can demonstrate throughout the school that he or she is proficient in a subject that he or she should be able to pass the course even if he or she didn't have the greatest final in the world. I would still require students to pass an O.W.L. to gain entry into N.E.W.T level courses. But a bad day on a final exam should not cause a consistently good student to fail a course. If a 1st year displays quality Charms assignments throughout the year that student should pass 1st year Charms. We shouldn't put all our eggs in the finals basket."

"The end of year exams need to be kept important," said Albus firmly, "But it wouldn't be a bad thing to have students grades be less weighted towards the final exams."

"That's the idea," replied Hugo, "Finals should be a significant piece of the pie but they shouldn't be the only piece of the pie."

"Maybe recommend that 20% weight be given to finals and the other 80% of the students grades be decided by how well they perform on homework/assignments," suggested Devon.

"I think 20% is still too much, maybe 15% would more appropriate," offered Fred.

"I think McGonagall herself would be the best judge of that if she approves of this idea," said Lily calmly.

"I will inform McGonagall of this suggestion and see what she thinks. The basis for this suggestion is good but determining the right balance could be tricky ," said James, "Lily?"

"There needs to be more interhouse friendship or at least interhouse cooperation at Hogwarts," said Lily fiercely, "To achieve this, I propose that in classes where teachers have students "pair up", if the class is shared by 2 houses, assign people from different houses to be partners."

"NO!" screamed Albus, "I DO NOT WANT TO EVER HAVE TO PARTNER A DAMN SLYTHERIN!"

"Sadly predictable reaction from Albus," said Fred simply.

"Albus is precisely the kind of person who could benefit from Lily's idea," piped up Hugo, "Coming into direct exposure with a decent Slytherin would finally force Albus to change his tune."

"Hugo is exactly right!" squeaked Devon, "Sometimes, if people refuse to open their hearts and minds themselves, they've got to have them pried open to see the truth."

"All true," agreed Lily, "But this is not just about Gryffindor-Slytherin relations. This applies to all relationships between all 4 houses. There is simply too little opportunity for contact for students from different houses. While this idea is limited, it is a good start."

"Oftentimes," said James clearly, "A small start leads to bigger things so I will give McGonagall this idea and see what she has to say about it."

James went quiet for a minute and a nanosecond and then said, "Good job, Hogwarts Planning Club, I will be meeting with Professor McGonagall in her office tonight and I will let you all know she says. All of your ideas be shared with McGonagall. It's now a wait and see to find out what reactions to and opinions of your ideas are."


	62. Yew Tide Turns

After the Hogwarts Planning Club had adjourned for the night, a paper airplane memo zoomed into the History of Magic classroom and flew directly into Lily's hands.

Lily opened the memo at 1ce and read it out loud.

"Dear Devon, Hugo, James, and Lily-

Please remain in the History of Magic classroom. Someone will meet you there in a few minutes with some important news. This news is good news but it will be best if you 5 1st hear it amongst yourselves before anyone else at Hogwarts finds out about it."

Devon, Hugo, James, Albus, and Lily all silently nodded their heads and stayed put.

Fred Roxanne, and Albus walked towards the door and Roxanne pulled the door open and held it for Fed and Albus as they left.

Roxanne continued to hold the door open as she saw Healer Cochlain walking towards the room carrying a newspaper in her hands.

Healer Cochlain entered the room and Roxanne left.

"Devon, Hugo, James, and Lily," said Healer Cochlain seriously, "As I indicated in my memo, there is some very good news that you 5 should learn about yourselves before the rest of Hogwarts finds out."

"What is it, Amy?" asked Lily urgently.

"You're on a 1st name basis with Healer Cochlain?" Hugo asked Lily.

"I have previously told the Potters that they may call me Amy," explained Healer Cochlain, "Hugo and Devon, you 2 may now call me Amy as well if you'd like."

"Thank you, Amy," smiled Hugo as Devon nodded, "But what is this good news we need to know about?"

"In my hand is a copy of tonight's Evening Prophet, I believe the big headline will be repeated in tomorrow's Daily Prophet and many Hogwarts students read the Daily Prophet," said Amy matter of factly, "James and Lily, this news will be of interest to you 2 because of both of your interests in Wandlore. Hugo and Devon, this is very significant news for both of you because it is very personal for both of you."

Amy unfurled the newspaper and laid it out on a desk so that Devon, Hugo, Jame, and Lily could all see the boldfaced headline:

 **Yew Tide Turns**

"Amy, would please read the article out loud?" requested James.

"Of course I will," said Amy with a smile.

And Amy read aloud:

Since the Daily Prophet's report in September explaining how Hogwarts student Hugo Weasley's life was saved by his close friend Devon Dursley's yew wand, the tide has turned dramatically in the court of public opinion with regard to yew wands. After the 1st rise of Lord Voldemort, yew got a horrible reputation in the magical community and Olivander had been forced to stop making yew wands for years after Voldemort died. In fact, the yew wand that Olivander sold to Devon Dursley was the 1st yew wand that Olivander had made since before Voldemort 1st rose to power and he intentionally only tried it on muggleborns. (Though Devon had far more knowledge of wizarding history when he purchased the yew wand then Olivander had realized.) In his earliest days at Hogwarts, Devon himself had feared that his yew wand would cause him to go bad as he was fully aware that Lord Voldemort had used a yew wand. While Devon's friends made sincere efforts to reassure him that he himself was in control of what kind of person he would become, Devon continued to feel very uneasy about using a yew wand until that moment when his yew wand had saved Hugo's life. The circumstances of his yew wand saving a close friend's life naturally altered Devon's view to see the good that powerful wands, including yew wands, could do. In James Potter's 1st wandlore lesson with Olivander back on August 31st, Olivander had explained to James how beneficial yew wands could be for the Healing industry but how he was under pressure not to make them because of how yew was associated with Voldemort. A few days later, James succeeded in convincing a reluctant Devon and Hugo to go public with the story of how Devon's yew wand had saved Hugo's life. Devon and Hugo had been reluctant to allow something so personal to become public knowledge but James was able to convince them to go public for the public good. This decision has proven invaluable to Wizarding World as innumerable witches and wizards gained a new perspective on yew wands from the story of how Devon's yew wand had saved Hugo's life. Amongst Daily Prophet readers comments went something like this:

"Ever since Voldemort's rise to power in the 1970s, I have been adamantly opposed to yew wands and the production thereof, especially since I lost several family members to Voldemort," said Auror Mellissa Nash, the mother of Hogwarts student Megan Nash, "But ever since I read about Devon's yew wand saving Hugo's life, I have been forced to admit that yew wands are too valuable in Healing not to have them."

"I've never been a fan of yew wands," acknowledged hippogriff breeder Peter Kirke, the father of Hogwarts student Jill Kirke, "But the story of Hugo and Devon has made me change my tune. While admittedly dangerous in the wrong hands, if yew wands can save lives, then we need yew wands."

"Before, I'd always been 100% anti yew wands," said recent Hogwarts graduate Rachel Robins, 'But reading about what Devon's yew wand did for Hugo really caused to step back and think. I'd never really thought about how powerful wands can be used for good too. Ultimately, if yew wands can be valuable to Healers, then I support the production and existence of yew wands."

This turn in tide in the court of public opinion for yew wands has liberated Olivander, who told the Evening Prophet late Monday afternoon that he is now beginning production on a whole new line of yew wands. He is limiting this line only to unicorn hair wands as unicorn hair wands will only chose pure hearted witches and wizards and hopes to get some of these yew wands into circulation in time for the 2021 back to school shopping season.

The reintroduction of yew wands into the magical community will ultimately benefit the Healing Profession and the by extension the Wizarding World for generations to come.

At the end of the day, Hugo's and Devon's choice to go public has done immeasurable public good.

"Hugo, Devon," said Amy meaningfully as she dropped the newspaper to the floor and stuck out her right hand, "I want to shake both of your hands. As a Healer with a daughter who aspires to become a Healer herself, I have a special appreciation for what the reintroduction of yew wands into the magical community will mean for our profession."

Amy gave Devon and Hugo hearty handshakes.

"I'm glad our decision to take our story public has paid off," said Devon emotionally, "We didn't want to do it but we realized what could come from it and we did what we had to do."

"Spot on, agreed Hugo, "I would rather have kept that private. But this article proves we did the right thing in going public."

"Hugo and Devon, I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of you," said Lily genuinely, "I know how hard it was for both of you to allow your story to go public. At the end of the day you did what was right rather than what was easy and in the long run so many witches and wizards will be better off for it."

"I didn't actually believe that Hugo and Devon would be willing to go public with their story but they proved me wrong and showed their true character," said James proudly."

Next nanosecond Hugo and Devon had their hands shaken by James and Lily as well.

Everyone was so proud of Devon and Hugo for having the onions to make a difficult decision that they did not want to make.

In their hearts of hearts, Hugo and Devon were now sure that they had done the right thing.

The loss of privacy was nothing compared to the gain of an important tool for the most important industry in their world.

Now that they knew that the tide of yew had turned, Devon and Hugo were fully at peace with their decision and James and Lily couldn't be produer of them.

Sometimes the greatest gains had to come from the most difficult circumstances.

In this nanosecond , Hugo's and Devon's hearts filled with pride in themselves and James, Lily, and Amy were all feeling as proud as Hugo and Devon as anyone could of anyone.

Going public had been a huge positive change for the public good.


	63. the Harry Potter Quidditch Pitch

At 9.p.m. that same night, after Amy had returned to St Mungo's and the students had all returned to their common rooms, a magically magnified voice belonging to Professor McGonagall made an announcement, "Potters, please report to my office, I have some great news for you."

James, Albus and Lily all felt their hearts leap. It was exceedingly rare for a head to call students to his or her office for good news.

"To avoid confusion," explained McGonagall as she escorted James, Albus and Lily to her office, "I will call you by your 1st names."

1ce James, Albus and Lily were seated in McGonagall's office, McGonagall sat down opposite them at her desk.

"James, Albus and Lily," smiled McGonagall, "Tonight the Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts is being dedicated as the Harry Potter Quidditch Pitch."

"Really?" chorused James, Albus and Lily weakly.

"Really," confirmed McGonagall.

James, Albus and Lily burst into wide grins, their faces glowed, and their eyes sparkled at hearing this news.

"That's totally awesome baby!" said James, Albus and Lily in unison.

"1 thing I should make clear," said McGonagall matter of factly, "Is that this ceremony is NOT going to honor Harry for his defeat of Voldemort, his saving of Ginny Weasley's life in the Chamber of Secrets, or any of his career work."

"This is just about Quidditch," Lily got the point at 1ce.

"From what I've seen in our pensive at Potter Manor, Harry Potter the Quidditch Player deserves to be honored." said James at once.

"That's inarguable," agreed Albus.

"The greatest Seeker to ever play at Hogwarts." said Lily radiantly.

"And a great flier in and of itself," added James proudly.

"This will be a small ceremony," McGonagall informed James, Albus and Lily, "Most people will learn about it in tomorrow's daily prophet,"

"Let me guess," grinned Lily, "Myself, James, and Albus will be the only 1s there with you presiding over the ceremony and that will be it."

"Precisely," said McGonagall, "Harry be allowed to share and savor this moment with his kids and only his kids. I will disappear quickly after excuting the actual dedication and namng to allow this to be so."

"Thanks," said James, Albus, and Lily quietly.

"I am going to walk you 3 out to the Quidditch Pitch," said McGonagall to soak it all up with James, Albus and Lily

McGonagall walked James, Albus and Lily out to the Quidditch Pitch where Harry was sitting in a recliner in the centre circle.

"James, Albus and Lily please stand side by side on the perimeter on the west side of the pitch for now," McGonagall instructed them.

James, Albus and Lily did indeed stand side by side on the west side while McGonagall walked slowly up to where Harry was sitting and stood to his left.

"Harry," said McGonagall warmly, "There is a specific reason I summoned you here tonight. I have a special moment planned for you that I want you to be able to enjoy with only your kids."

"What's going on, Professor McGonagall?" asked Harry.

"Tonight I will be dedicating this Quidditch pitch as the Harry Potter Quidditch Pitch. After I after performed the actual ceremony I will vanish quickly to allow you to soak it up with James, Albus, and Lily. You are the greatest Seeker in Hogwarts history and richly deserve this honor," McGonagall told Harry.

"I won't stay the greatest Seeker in Hogwarts history for much longer," said Harry, smiling over at where Lily was standing.

"I have an even bigger honor planned for Lily in the future," said McGonagall kindly, "But you ARE deserving of the honor of having the Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts named after you. You truly had some amazing wins and catches."

"I'd love to reminisce about those moments right here on the pitch and I will do that with James, Albus, and Lily after the official ceremony, " replied Harry fondly.

"You should," said McGonagall warmly, "This is your night. And let's not drag it out. Harry Potter, it is my honor to officially dedicate this Quidditch pitch as the Harry Potter Quidditch Pitch."

McGonagall waved her wand in front of where Harry was sitting and performed a nonverbal spell.

Next nanosecond, clear lettering appeared in the centre circle in front of where Harry was sitting.

There were neon gold letters in all caps spelling out HARRY POTTER QUIDDITCH PITCh

McGonagall had already vanished and James, Albus and Lily took the opportunity to rush up to Harry.

Harry felt his insides swelling with pride and affection.

Professor McGonagall had appreciated his contributions as a Quidditch player enough to name the pitch after him.

This meant more to Harry than he could say. And McGonagall had also gotten out of the way quickly and also arranged for Harry to share this night with his family.

Harry finally got out of the recliner and James, Albus and Lily walked to where Harry was standing,

"Congratulations, Harry," said James warmly, "To have a pitch named after you is a rare thing in Quidditch."

"And that's the way it should be," said Albus firmly, "Such a high honor should be only be awarded to all time greats."

"Hey, Harry," said Lily proudly, putting out her right hand, "I want to shake your hand. I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of you and how much it means to me to have been present for the dedication tonight."

Harry put out his right hand and shook Lily's hand with a smile.

"It means so much to me to be able to share this night with you 3," said Harry sincerely.

"You know," said Albus radiantly, "My favorite Harry Potter Quidditch moment has to be when you caught the snitch in only 5 minutes against Hufflepuff."

"That was my easiest win," said Harry, "And it was pretty cool to catch a snitch in 5 minutes but I'm guessing that wasn't James favorite."

"I prefer longer matches so that I can enjoy them more," said James matter of factly.

"I knew you'd say that," grinned Harry, "But what is your favorite Harry Potter Quidditch moment?"

"When you played in the Quidditch Final against Slytherin and Malfoy had a huge lead on you and you urged your Firebolt forward and caught up to him and knocked his arm out of the way and caught the snitch to clinch the Quidditch Cup."

"You're all about winning, James, that's why you picked that moment." said Harry knowingly.

"Just win baby!" replied James.

"My favorite Harry Potter Quidditch moment is when you caught the snitch in your mouth to win your 1st ever match, "beamed Lily.

"I bet even more so since you duplicated it," exclaimed Harry.

"Absolutely," confirmed Lily instantly.

Next nanosecond, Harry, James, Albus., and Lily all looked where the neon letters forming the words HARRY POTTER QUIDDITCH PITCH were fluorescing and they just smiled.

This was a night of pure happiness and pure satisfaction.

The ceremony had been quite short and quite simple and there was a certain purity in that.

There was no need to drag it on with gift personations and speakers. In fact it was more satisfying to Harry that the ceremony had just been about the naming with no gifts and no lengthy speeches.

This was about being permanently recognized for being such a great Quidditch player and nothing else.

And McGonagall had vanished quickly after the naming ceremony so that he could take it all in with only the 3 most important people in his life today.

James, Albus, and Lily appreciated the simplicity and purity of it as well.

They all felt warmth in their hearts as their insides glowed with pride in and happiness for Harry.

It was a classic parent-children moment, a great honor for Harry to have the Quidditch pitch named in his honor, and a great joy for James, Albus, and Lily to share this night with Harry.

As Harry, James, Albus, and Lily looked at the neon letters forming the words HARRY POTTER QUIDDITCH PITCH they felt nothing but a complete and happy contentness.


	64. Saver Sisters Struggles

James's Wandmaking classes with Olivander were canceled that week because Olivander was sick.

This was probably for the best. In the aftermath of the news about yew wands gaining support in the magical community since Hugo and Devon had gone public with their story, James would have wanted to attempt to make a replica of Devon's yew wand.

The problem with that is that yew is THE most difficult wood to work with in Wandmaking. As prolific a Wandmaker as James had proven to be, he still needed more practice and more experience before he could attempt a wand of THAT degree of difficulty.

James, Albus, and Lily took advantage of James's Wandmaking classes being canceled to take extra long sibling time sessions that Monday and Wednesday night.

This sibling time was used to view the 1999 and 2001 movies The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. On both nights the 3 of them whipped huge tubs op popcorn to share and just had fun watching and enjoying a couple of fun movies together.

But things took a definite somber turn on Thursday.

Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all had Potions last class on Thursday afternoon.

They were to make Liveliness Potion, an energy potion given to lethargic people to give them energy.

Hogwarts had been through a handful of Potions Masters since Slughorn had retired following the Battle of Hogwarts.

This year, Hogwarts had hired a young lad named Brad Brew, a former Ravenclaw only a few years out of Hogwarts who had achieved the garde of O in Potions all 7 years he had been at Hogwarts. Professor Brew had also received extra credit on both his Potions O.W.L. and his Potions N.E.W.T.

Professor Brew had coffee colored hair and black eyes. His height was average but he was skinny because he had never liked to eat much.

Professor Brew put the students in pairs to work.

On this day, he assigned Lily to work with Hugo, Devon to work with Ainsley, and Samantha to work with Stephanie.

Unfortunately, they never got a chance to see how well they could make Liveliness Potion because of an unfortunate mishap.

Stephanie, though a master witch with a wand in her hand, tended to struggle with wandless magic and tended to lose focus in classes that focused on wandless magic.

This reality would come to bite the Saver sisters in the butt.

The 1st step to making Liveliness Potion was to heat 3/5 of a cauldron worth of water on high. Then, after turning the heat off, an active magical teal power known as Bixby Powder was to be added.

It was essential to turn off the heat before adding the Bixby Powder as Bixby Powder was very reactive and could lead to explosion if mixed with too much heat.

Stephanie, failing to concentrate properly, forget to turn the heat off before adding the Bixby Powder.

After Stephanie's solution started to stir a little, a loud BANG! ensued that was followed by a major SPLASH!

Stephanie's cauldron exploded and broke into numerous pieces of shards of sharp glass.

A few shards of this glass hit Samantha's shoulders and Samantha suffered deep and painful cuts.

Worse, Bixby Powder dissolved in water caused severe burns to skin and hair and during the splash Samantha had gotten a fair amount of the solution on her arms and hair and a bit on her face as well.

Samantha's skin had burned black on the places where the Bixby solution had hit her arms and face. Her hair had given her some protection from the top of her head being burned far worse but the Bixby solution had been burned her hair off and she was now bald.

Seeing what had happened, Professor Brew said quickly, "Miss Saver, get yourself to hospital wing pronto. The rest of you may go with her, class dismissed."

Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all escorted Samantha to the hospital wing and James was quickly informed of what had had happened to Samantha and rushed to join them in the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey was somber as James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily took seats in the hospital wing. She took 1 look at Samantha and guessed what had happened at 1ce.

"Bixby burn," diagnosed Madam Pomfrey in a subdued voice, "I'm guessing you guys were making Liveliness Potion in Brew's class and something went wrong."

"It's my fault," admitted Stephanie guiltily, "I forgot to turn the heat off before adding the Bixby Powder to the hot water and..."

"Your cauldron exploded, and Miss Saver was sitting next to you and suffered the damage from the blast and spill," realized Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes," said a shaken Stephanie as she looked down at her feet.

Samantha looked Madam Pomfrey in the eyes and asked, "Can anything be done for me?"

"I will give your a cream to heal your cuts," explained Madam Pomfrey, "As for your burns, you will have to wait for new skin to grow to replace your burned skin. You will have to live with the pain of these burns until that process naturally manifests itself. The bad news is that your hair will not grow back. You will be bald for life."

Stephanie's face began to redden and her eyes were watering.

After everything Samantha had done for her, having set up for her to adopted by the Savers so that she wouldn't have to stay in that orphanage, Stephanie was now responsible for great damage to Samantha.

Madam Pomfrey opened a drawer and withdrew a small white tube with simple black lettering the spelled out the words Cut Cure.

Madam Pomfrey opened this tube and applied the cream to all of Samantha's cuts.

Samantha's cuts quickly healed and she felt some relief from that.

But that was all Madam Pomfrey could do for her.

"But my burns will heal in matter of days and I'll be myself again.," said Samantha resiliently, 'Remember that witches and wizards are quick healers. And it's mostly on my arms but not anywhere near my hands. My ability to function will not be limited while these burns heal."

A still guilt ridden Stephanie looked Samantha straight in the eyes in said, "Sister, I'm sorry about your hair."

"Yeah, it's a shame there's nothing we can do about that," said Lily sadly.

"Maybe we could find or even make a wig for Samantha," suggested Devon.

NO!' said Samantha firmly, "That would be symbolic of denial and a refusal to accept what has happened. The best path forward is to accept and acknowledge what has happened and move forward."

"I agree with you there, Samantha," said James decisively.

"Besides, I'm great looking bald," bragged Samantha.

"This is still Samantha Saver alright," grinned Ainsley.

While it was obvious that Samantha's burns were still causing her intense physical pain, her positive attitude and confidence seem to improve everyone's moods.

"And you know what," said Samantha clearly, "There are several people in this room who have been through far worse than what has happened to me today. That includes Stephanie losing the only home she had ever known last summer."

"It's good to see a girl of only 12 have such a sense of perspective," said Madam Pomfrey.

James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Lily, and Stephanie were very proud of the way Samantha had handled the situation. There was no doubt now (not that there ever had been0 about the sincerity of Samantha viewing Stephanie as a sister. Samantha did not view Stephanie as an adopted sister. Samantha cared for Stephanie in the way any true sister would. And her sense of perspective and positive attitude were contagious.

If Samantha didn't need to do the woe is me thing then they didn't need to have a pity party for her, though Stephanie still felt guilty because of her feeling of responsibly for what had happened to Samantha.

"Samantha's decent, this won't affect Stephanie's relationship with her at all," predicted Hugo.

"Stephanie," said Samantha sincerely, "Look I know you feel bad about what happened today. But I don't blame you at all. Look, stuff happens."

"But it's my fault for my inattentiveness," said Stephanie sadly, "I mean, you suffered injuries in our Quidditch final against Hufflepuff last your when I missed a Bludger, But at least that was a physical mistake. This was a stupid mental lapse on my part. "

"You're my sister," Samantha told Stephanie, "And I'm going to stick by you 100%. True families don't dessert each other when times get tough, they stick by each other."

"Your willingness to forgive and support is giving me some emotional relief," said Stephanie, "But I do feel bad that you're the 1 who has to pay the price for my mistake in the form of both pain and the permeant loss of your hair."

"Instead of feeling guilty," Samantha advised Stephanie, "Use today as a learning experience and use it as motivation to learn to focus better in classes."

"That's sound advice," said Lily, "You know what Stephanie, I suggest you make a goal for yourself to become a better Potions student."

"It's my worst subject," said Stephanie in a defeated voice.

"Set it as a goal that never again will a Potions accident be your fault because of mental reasons," Samantha advised Stephanie, "And in the process you'll get better at Potions. Let something good come out of this day.. You can."

"And you will," added Lily.

"Maybe something positive can come out of this," said Stephanie, sounding like she was feeling better now.

"Besides," grinned, Samantha "With Saturday being Halloween what happened today won't be at the forefront of our minds for very long."


	65. A Stroke of Magical Number Luck

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were all still in the hospital wing on Friday morning.

By Friday morning it had become clear that Madam Pomfrey's initial diagnosis of Samantha had been incorrect.

This proved to be both good news and bad news for Samantha.

The good news was that her hair had in fact grown back.

This was an immense relief to both Samantha and Stephanie.

"Madam Pomfrey?" asked Samantha, "Do you know why my hair grew back?"

"It's a simple explanation," answered Madam Pomfrey, "The Bixby burned off all your hair but apparently it didn't go to the roots. Because it didn't get into the roots, you were able to grow hair back."

"I'm relived by that," admitted Samantha, "I tried to put my best face and my best spin on it but I was actually very unhappy about losing my hair."

"I'm relived too," said Stephanie quietly, "It's a huge burden off of my conscience to know that my mistake did not cause any permeant damage to Samantha after all."

"My burns still hurt like hell and haven't shown any improvement yet, "said Samantha matter of factly, "I'd expected my burns to heal in a few days. To have seen no progress yet means that won't be the case."

"I initially thought your burns were shallower. It may be weeks or even months before your burns are fully healed," Madam Pomfrey informed Samantha, "It depends how deep they are and at this point that is unclear. "

"Well, I'll just have to deal with it until it heals. I'm a tough cookie. I can handle it," said Samantha in a dogged determined voice.

"I love your fighting spirit, Samantha, " said James proudly.

"How long does Samantha need to stay here?" Lily asked Madam Pomfrey.

"I can release her now," answered Madam Pomfrey, "She cannot gain anything by remaining in the hospital wing."

"So I can go to Hogsmeade tomorrow and participate in Halloween tomorrow night?" asked Samantha hopefully.

"No reason you can't," smiled Madam Pomfrey, "You're just going to be in a lot of pain for awhile."

Samantha nodded.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all smiled and slowly left the hospital wing.

They were able to make it to breakfast in time to eat a breakfast of sausage biscuits and hash browns.

They then took the normal mandatory Friday library time breaking for a lunch of hot dogs (mustard, ketchup, and hot sauce were the condiments used) and onion rings.

At 2 p.m. Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all went for a walk around the perimeter of the Black Lake.

After everything that had happened that week, this was a good release for all of them to just walk around the lake without thinking about anything.

On Friday night, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all went into Lily's room and watched Terminator 2 Judgement Day on Lily's DVR.

Saturday was Halloween and Hogwarts was holding a double day: Hogsmeade in the morning and afternoon and Scary Halloween at night.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were all really excited about the trip into Hogsmeade and had decided to all go into Hogsmeade naked.

The septet had all come down to breakfast naked and with huge smiles on their faces with their eyes glowing.

As Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily ate a breakfast waffles with syrup and bacon strips, Samantha reminded them, "It's because of me that 2nd years are allowed to go to Hogsmeade now."

"OHHHHH!" remembered Lily, "Although it was overshadowed by your ideas of a 4 day class schedule and mandatory library time on Fridays, your silver medal winning entry in the Hogwarts Writing Competition included an accepted provision allowing 2nd years access to Hogsmeade trips."

"That's right, Lily, 2nd years can thank me for today," said Samantha smugly, "It really is true that 2nd years will appreciate Hogsmeade trips more than 6th and 7th years."

"I've heard it through the grapevine that most 6th and 7th years aren't planning to go to Hogsmeade today." admitted Lily.

"Some are probably burnt out on Hogsmeade after having gone a large number of times," said Hugo reasonably, "But I think it is also true that younger studnets in 2nd and 3rd year would appreciate the novelty of Hogsmeade visits more than older students."

"I don't think there's any argument against the idea that younger students would care far more for Hogsmeade visits than older students," added Ainsley.

"Even as 6th year who still likes Hogsmeade, the evidence is overwhelming that younger students are more interested in Hogsmeade visits than older students," acknowledged James.

"But note that 6th and 7th years are still allowed to go if they choose to," said Samantha, "Nothing is being taken away from anyone. An opportunity has been added for 2nd years but at no one's cost."

After breakfast, with James carrying the Marauder's Map, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all trekked out the front doors into Hogsmeade.

It was a comfortable 72 degrees outside with clear skies and Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were all enjoying being naked.

The nanosecond they stepped into Hogsmeade, Devon said, "Honeydukes 1st,"

James pointed out the location of Honeydukes to Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily using the Marauder's Map and they all practically galloped to the sweet shop.

To the delight of Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily, Honeydukes, as promised in the July 15th Daily Prophet, was offering new sweets on this day.

Anticipating heavy traffic from Hogwarts students on this day, Honeydukes had bewitched its door to remain open at all times so people could just walk in and out.

1 cool thing about Honeydukes in the New Era of Hogwarts was that the employees were now ghosts.

As a Honeydukes ghost glided towards Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily, he explained a piece of good fortune they had just hit on.

"Sirs and misses," smiled the ghost, "We have an unadvertised promotion today.

"And what is it?" asked Lily with anticipation in her voice.

"You see, the 1st group of EXACTLY 7 people in the store today wins a free shopping spree in the back room. And the back room is where the new products are." explained the ghost.

"So," said Lily eagerly, "We get to try out new products for free?"

"Yes, Miss," beamed the ghost.

"What could be better than trying new candy for free?" asked Devon excitedly.

"NOTHING!" screeched James with a huge grin on his face.

"7 is the most powerfully magical number!" smirked Ainsley.

"It is certainly is for us," smiled Samantha.

Looking around, Stephanie said, "There are shelves upon shelves of new sweets!"

Of course, Devon wanted to make the 1st pick and his eyes were drawn to...


	66. Implementing Ideas

Meanwhile, while Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were off having fun in Honeydukes, Headmistress McGonagall was holding a key meeting in the staff with the Heads of House, Professor Longbottom for Gryffindor, Professor McMillian for Hufflepuff, Professor Flitwick for Ravenclaw, and Professor Brew for Slytherin. Despite having been a Ravenclaw in his days as a Hogwarts student, Professor Brew had agreed to become head of Slytherin when the position was open. This made Professor Brew the 1st head of house to have ever not been in that house when he or she was a student.

"Good Morning Professors Longbottom, McMillian, Flitwick and Brew. I have called this meeting to discuss and vote on the ideas that Mr. Potter presented me with after the most recent meeting of the Hogwarts Planning Club."

"How many ideas did Mr. Potter present you?" asked Flitwick.

"I asked the Hogwarts Planning Club to present me with between 3 and 6 ideas. As it turns out, Mr. Potter did not have to come up with any suggestions of his own because every other member of the Hogwarts Planning Club was able to provide him with a reasonable suggestion," explained McGonagall.

"I'm really proud of my students," said Longbottom, "Remember that all 7 members of the Hogwarts Planning Club are Gryffindors. I'm guessing that some of their suggestions will prove very helpful to Hogwarts."

"No doubt about that," said McGonagall with a smile, "The 1st thing I'd like us to discuss is very straightforward. Mr. Dursley really enjoyed our BBQ feast last year although it was overshadowed by the fact that it occurred on the night that the Hogwarts Writing Competition winners were announced. Well, that night was the Friday before Easter and Mr. Dursley has suggested that Hogwarts hold a BBQ feast on the Friday night before Easter every year."

"I enjoyed the BBQ feast too, especially the great BBQ chicken," smiled Longbottom, "I could see it becoming an annual event."

"Let's not do it too frequently though," said Flitwick matter of factly, "Keeping it rarer keeps it special."

"That was a point that Mr. Potter's younger brother apparently made when the Hogwarts Planning Club was discussing this idea," explained McGonagall, "Let's take a vote on it. There are 5 of us. 3 votes will be needed for an idea to pass. Raise your hand if you are in favor of Hogwarts hosting a BB feast featuring BBQ hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken on the Friday night before Easter every year."

All 5 people in the room raised their hands and McGonagall declared, "Motion passed."

"That was easy," smirked Brew.

"I somehow don't think the rest of our discussions will be so easy," said Macmillan wryly.

"Certainly not," admitted McGonagall, "Mr. Potter was confident that this would idea would be approved and told the Hogwarts Planning Club as much. He also knew that some of the club's other ideas would be up for much more discussion. This next 1 is very serious."

The attentiveness level in the room increased sharply at that.

"Mr. Potter's younger brother expressed some serious concerns with regard to the library," said McGonagall firmly, "And I think his concerns are valid."

"Shouldn't we call Madam Turpin in here if we are going to be discussing library policy?" Flitwick asked Professor McGonagall.

Hogwarts longtime librarian, Madam Pince, had retired a few years after the Battle of Hogwarts and Lisa Turpin, a former Ravenclaw student who had been a 7th year when the Battle of Hogwarts had occurred, had taken over the position. Madam Turpin, while not warm and affection, was far less snarly and more gentle towards the students than Madam Pince had been.

"Hogwarts librarians have never played any role in setting policy," said McGonagall matter of factly, "They only enforce the school's library polices."

"This is the New Era of Hogwarts," said Brew, "Shouldn't Turpin at least get some input into the polices that affect her job?"

"You're right, Professor Brew," conceded McGonagall and McGonagall quickly sent a paper airplane memo to Turpin. Fortunately, Turpin responded immediately and was in the staff room within 5 minutes.

"Madam Turpin," said McGonagall seriously when Madam Turpin, "Today we are discussing potential changes at Hogwarts thanks to suggestions put forth by the Hogwarts Planning Club. 1 of the things we are discussing today is library policy. As the school librarian, you should have the right to give input on decisions involving library policy. "

"Thank you for including me," said Turpin humbly, "But I think I'll give input if I strongly object to something. Otherwise, "I'll let the higher figures set the policy and go about executing it the best I can."

"The very reason you should be here," Brew told Madam Turpin clearly, "Is that library policy is directly related to your job and if you are against a potential change to library policy you should therefore have the right to voice your dissent."

"We'll see how it goes," said Turpin simply.

"Here's the issue that has caused us to need to look into library policy," explained McGonagall, "Mr. Potter's younger brother has noticed that some Ravenclaw students are book hogs."

"I strongly disagree with that observation," insisted Turpin, "In my time as Hogwarts librarian, I have never had a student come into the library and check out an enormous stack of books."

"And I have certainly never seen 1 of my students carrying an unreasonably large stack of books," added Flitwick.

"No," agreed McGonagall, "That's not the issue. The issue is book hogging with regard tp specific books."

Professors Longbottom, Flitwick, Brew, and McMillian and Madam Turpin all exchanged confused looks at this statement.

McGonagall went on, "Here's the rope. Mr. Potter's younger brother brought it to the attention of the Hogwarts Planning Club that a handful of Ravenclaw students are book hogs in the sense that they circumvent the due date system."

"In my experience," said Turpin clearly, "All Hogwarts are very good about bringing library books to the library on or before due date."

"I have no reason not to believe that," replied McGonagall, "But have you ever had students bring boos back to the library on their due date only to check them out again that same day."

"This is not an overly common occurrence but it does occur periodically," acknowledged Turpin, "And it usually Ravenclaws when it does happen. Hogwarts policy allows this. I always the point of having due dates was to make sure all library books and materials remain accounted for."

"That IS a good reason to have due dates," agreed McGonagall, "But it should also be noted that the spirit of the library is that library books are meant to be shared. Circumventing the due date system by repeatedly checking out the same book(s) goes against that spirit."

"You know, even if you don't have a plethora of students doing that, for less common books it only takes a handful of people being book hogs to cerate an issue," realized Longbottom.

"Come to think of it," realized Turpin, "Even if we were to change the library policy to require books actually be returned on their due dates, students could actually still keep books for any length of time they wanted because students choose their own due dates and it would very easy to pick a way out there due date when checking out books."

"Mr. Potter's sister saw that issue and realized that changing the policy on due dates themselves would only carry weight if due daytes were harder to begin with," said McGonagall.

"So are going any changes to Hogwarts library policy?" McMillian asked Professor McGonagall.

"That's what we're going to discuss now," answered McGonagall, "Madam Turpin, since you are the librarian, I'll let have the 1st say into how long the due dates should be."

"I think an appropriate policy would be that when a student checks out a library book that the due date shall be two weeks after the checkout date. So if a student checks out a book on the 14th of a month, it would be due back on the 28th." suggested Turpin,

"That's more than fair," agreed Longbottom, "A fortnight should be sufficient time to read any library book."

"It would also lead to students using more discretion in choosing which library books to check out and when," supplied McMillian, "That can only be a good thing."

"Students DO need to understand that Hogwarts library is NOT their own personal library," piped up Brew.

"For whatever reason, Ravenclaws have never been great at sharing in general," admitted Flitwick.

"Mr. Potter's younger brother also suggested that we cap the number of times a student may check out any particular library book at 1ce per semester. That would limit any individual student to having any particular library book to 2 times per school year," McGonagall informed them.

"That's a good idea," said Turpin clearly, "But I say we limit to 1 time per school year per book."

"The was a consensus amongst the Hogwarts Planning Club that, hey, how much gain from reading the same book over and over again and even with books that are stories, how many times can you reread the same story. They all agreed that 0 people would be hurt by this policy." McGonagall told the others.

"So you think they would be in favor of reducing the limit from the 1ce per semester that they proposed to 1ce a school year."

"I do," answered McGonagall simply.

"I would support the 1ce per school year limit," chimed in Flitwick, "Because it would encourage students to expand their horizon. Study more topics instead of always reading about the same topics. Study more aspects of the same topic. Read more and more varied stories instead reading the same stories over and over again. That's all good for a student's education."

"Okay then," said McGonagall, "We're going to put these ideas to a vote. If you approve of implanting a hard due date system for library books of 2 weeks after checkout, requiring books to be actually turned in on said due date, and limiting any student's ability to check out any particular book to 1ce per school year, raise your hand."

Every hand went and every head nodded.

"Why didn't I think of this before?" said McGonagall aloud. James had been right. McGonagall thought she should have seen this a long time ago now that it had been brought to her attention.

"Up next," said McGonagall, "is that Mr. Fred Weasley had the idea that Hogwarts have a different kind of competition every year. Last year we had the Hogwarts Writing Competition. Mr. Weasley's idea is that the Hogwarts Planning Club would come up with an idea for a different competition every year and that year's competition would be announced at Thanksgiving. The timing of announcing the winners can vary from year to year. It is Mr. Potter's belief that as long as these competitions don't take up too much of the teacher's time that we will approve it."

"The teachers don't have to act as judges or be very involved in every possible competition," said the still present Turpin reasonably, "Fellow students can act as judges, people on the internet can act as judges, some competitions will naturally have objective criteria. Personally, I'm in favor of more competitions at Hogwarts as it allows students to have some fun while striving to find the best within themselves at the same time."

"I'm in complete favor of it," said Brew, "I'm a firm believer that competition brings out the best in people."

"That is 1000% true. Even those participants who don't place can find out a lot about themselves just by participating' said McMillan supportively.

"It can also bring the worst in people," said Longbottom warningly, "Friendships and even relationships between siblings and cousins could become strained because how they are both after the same prize."

"There is a such thing as an overly competitive person," admitted Flitwick, "I say that if we do implement these yearly competitions that students should banned from betting against each other on the outcome.

"Well, there should be no betting at Hogwarts, period, " fretted McGonagall, "Gambling is a horrible vice. Furthermore, I have seen more than 1 friendship at Hogwarts ruined by bets gone bad either by the loser backing out of the bet and the winner resenting that or even just disagreements over what the terms of the bets were in the 1st place. But I'm in league with Brew and McMillian here. I think competition is good for students. Let vote on it. If you are in favor of a yearly competition at Hogwarts with the betting ban included, raise your hand."

Everyone did. Flitwick and Longbottom were placated enough by the ban on betting to go along with it.

"Mr. Hugo Weasley and Miss Roxanne Weasley presented related ideas to the Hogwarts Planning Club," said McGonagall matter of factly, "Mr. Weasley feels that students should be allowed to retake any or all their exams 1 time in early August if they are unhappy with their results, especially considering the high stakes nature of exams such as O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. Miss Weasley, meanwhile feels that too much weight is given to end of year exams. In fact. as it is, the end of year exams are all that decides pass vs fail. Miss Weasley would like to see students have don't do so swell on exam day be able to pass if their homework and assignment grades are consistently good. Here's the rope though, no change to exam or grade policy can made by the staff alone. To implement either of those changes, we would have to get the approval of Hogwarts Board of Governors, the Board of Governors ultimately have the final say on all exam, curriculum, and grading policies. We would have to have discussions with the Hogwarts Board of Governors on these ideas and then they would have to approve them in order for us to implement them. The staff can change things like the Quidditch schedule, feast schedule, library policy, visitor policy, hospital policy etc on our own. But the Hogwarts Board of Governors has final say and final vote on all grade, curriculum, and exam related issues. My question to the rest of you is whether we want pursue such discussions at an upcoming Hogwarts Board of Governors meeting?"

"I think it's a discussion worth having," said Flitwick firmly, "I think we're always looking to improve education policy at Hogwarts. There are reasons to and not to make such changes but I'm all for discussing things."

"We could each take some time before said Hogwarts Board of Governors meeting to consider on own views on these topics," said Longbottom matter of factly, "This is 1 of those things where there may need to be a lit of dialogue and give and take before we find a solution but we've got to be open minded about this"

"In the New Era of Hogwarts, I support giving the students options and opportunities, "I intend to vouch for these changes at said Hogwarts Board of Governors meeting," said McMillian fiercely.

"Students are expected to prepare well for their exams and take them seriously and are fully aware of their impact and consequences," said McGonagall slowly, "I'm not a huge fan of these ideas. But if there is sufficient support for them, I'll back them."

"Education policy should changed hastily," said Brew, "But it should be discussed frequently.

"So are we all agreed that we will present these at the next Hogwarts Board of Governors meeting?" asked McGonagall.

Every hand went up and there was 1 idea left to discuss.

"Miss Potter believes we need more inter house unity," said McGonagall.

"Won't confuse her with the middle Potter," said Brew wryly, "He hates my house."

"Because he is too closed minded," said McGonagall sharply, "But Miss Potter has suggested that, in class situations where students have to "pair up", that, if the class is shared between 2 houses, the teachers should pair up students from different houses. I like this idea, I agree with Mr. Potter, who feels that this is a good 1st step towards building more interhouse unity."

"I'm against the idea," said Brew, "If more interhouse friendship and unity is to occur, it needs to happen naturally."

"True," added Longbottom, "It means nothing if it's contrived."

"The only for interhouse friendship to have any staying power is if it happens of it's own accord," said McMillian decisively, "It would just vanish if forced in a disingenuous way."

"Sometimes a little push can help things get started," insisted Turpin, "I say we do implement this policy."

"No," said Flitwick sharply, "To force interhouse relationships on the students could lead to resentment and thus further strain interhouse relations It has to happen organically if it's going to happen."

"Raise your hand if you are in favor of the policy that teachers will pair students from different houses together in class when possible," said McGonagall.

Turpin and McGonagall put up their hands. Flitwick, Brew, Longbottom, and McMillian did not.

"Idea rejected 4-2," said McGonagall simply, "I will inform James of our decisions tomorrow morning and he can inform the Hogwarts Planning Club of the results at the next meeting of Hogwarts Planning Club."

McGonagall then informed Turpin of the decision that had been made before she had come to host a BBQ feats on the Friday night before Easter every year.

Turpin was all for it.

"MMM" said Turpin happily, "That BBQ chicken was awesome last year and the hamburgers and hot dogs were damn good too! To have that feast every year is a win win."

McGonagall now adjourned the meeting and she, Longbottom, Flitwick, Brew, McMillian and Turpin headed off to lunch.


	67. Fun in Honeydukes

Devon pulled down a small square scarlet box with icons of the Hogwarts Express on all 4 sides and the words CINNAMON TRAINS in goldish yellowish lettering across the top of the box.

Cinnamon wasn't a hugely popular flavor amongst this group but as Devon was a huge train aficionado he was excited at the prospect of trying a train themed sweet.

Devon pulled the tab on top of the box and opened it. He poured the candies into his right hand. There were 7 pieces of candy that were shaped and colored to look exactly like baby Hogwarts Expresses.

Devon handed 1 of the candies each to James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily while keeping 1 for himself.

All 7 of them popped the cinnamon trains into their mouths.

The flavor of cinnamon was intense but it was what happened after they swallowed that was truly notable.

The nanosecond after all 7 of them swallowed at the exact same nanosecond, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily involuntarily found themselves down on all 4s and they had sprouted wheels. Involuntary train noises then started coming out of their mouths. Their bodies shifted shapes into the shapes of trains. Finally their skin turned scarlet with some gold accent. This effect worked so much better because they were all naked.

Without warning, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all started their engines and zoomed around the room 7 times.

After the 7th time the spell wore off and Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all became themselves again.

"THAT!" squeaked Devon in delight, "Was the COOLEST THING EVER!"

"It was a thrill ride," agreed James, "I've rarely had more fun in my life."

"Honeydukes threw an 80 yard touchdown pass with the introduction of cinnamon trains!" smiled Samantha.

"It's great to see you smile again, Samantha," said Lily warmly, "This is the 1st time I've seen you smile since your accident."

"I needed to have some kind of frivolous fun before I could smile again," admitted Samantha, "I've tried to handle things in as classy a way as I can but these last few days have been really hard for me both physically and emotionally."

"But," said Hugo happily, "When we all became trains, you forgot about everything and lost yourself in that moment of fun, just like we all did."

"BINGO!" squealed Samantha, "A welcome diversion if you will."

"Agreed," said Stephanie in the most cheerful voice she had used since the accident, "For me, it was an unburding of sort to forget my guilt, forget what had happened and just get caught in some good clean fun."

"Samantha, Stephanie, I'm glad you 2 enjoyed that," beamed Lily, "I've never had more respect for you 2 than I do now. Stephanie. it would have been easy for you to act like the whole situation was entirely an accident but you took full responsibility for the role your inattentiveness played in Samantha's accident."

"You have to be honest about your mistakes because if you aren't then you will repeat them," replied Stephanie, "The best thing you can do after making a mistake is to own it and learn from it."

"And, Samantha, " added Lily, "A situation like the 1 in Potions could have driven a wedge between you and Stephanie and caused an estrangement between you and Stephanie. But you were the 1 who most encouraged and supported her."

"That's my sister," said Samantha fiercely, "I'm always going to stand by Stephanie 100% because that s what a strong family does and because I know she would do the same for me if the roles were reversed."

Lily sensed something else going on. While neither Samantha nor Stephanie showed any signs of affection or attachment, Lily sensed that Samantha and Stephanie were now closer with each other than either had ever been with another person. This was clearly the outcome of their shared experiences and adversities. While Lily knew that she never change Samantha's or Stephanie's mind on their beliefs on not valuing love/affection and not becoming attached to other people, she hoped that the Saver sisters would come to realize the inner strength that came with strong relationships.

"Not to be a spoilsport because I enjoyed the ride too," said Ainsley, "But I'm feeling fatigued and nauseated now."

"That can happen with some magical sweets," said the ghost employee matter of factly.

"I am prone to fatigue and nausea," admitted Ainsley, "But I'm going to guess that most magical sweets are meant to be consumed in small portions?"

"Cinnamon trains certainly are," said the ghost, "Any sweet that has any effect other than taste and chew should consumed in extreme moderation."

James now pulled down a clear bag with 7 very pale pink licorice like sticks in it. The words WATERmelon Wands were stamped on the front of the bag in all caps blcokface pink letters with white accent around them.

"Me and Lily are interested in anything wand related," smiled James.

"Damn straight!" beamed Lily, "And Ainsley will love to try a new watermelon flavor candy, she's always been a big tropical girl."

"And this year is my only year to come into Hogsmeade as I am transferring to the Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing next fall. I'd better make the most of this year's Hogsmeade trips," said Ainsley matter of factly.

"Maybe?" suggested Devon, "We could invite you to join us on Hogsmeade trips even if you're not still at Hogwarts. If the ultimate University of Wizarding Healing doesn't have weekend classes then we could invite you to join us in Hogsmeade. We've already made it clear that we will make sure that you can continue to be a part of our lives by letting you join us when we all get together over the summers."

"The difference, though, " said Ainsley, "Is that Hogsmeade trips are for Hogwarts students and I won't be a Hogwarts student anymore. I don't think I'll be eligible to join Hogwarts Hogsmeade Weekends anymore 1ce I'm no longer a Hogwarts student."

"I'm sure McGonagall would permit it," said Lily confidently.

"I agree with Lily," said James certainly, "McGonagall would view Ainsley as a special case."

"I know McGonagall is very supportive of our group and the friendship between us," piped up Hugo.

"That's why I'm so confident McGonagall will allow Ainsley to visit us for Hogsmeade trips in future years," replied Lily warmly.

"I hope you're right," said Ainsley hopefully.

"For now, let's dig into some WATERmelon Wands," said James excitedly.

James tore up the top of the bag and handed Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily 1 WATERmelon wand each while keeping 1 for himself.

WATERmelon Wands had 1 of the weaker flavors of any magical sweet they had ever tasted. Watermelon was a naturally muted flavor anyway and water had been added to the inside of the WATERmelon wands and that diluted the flavor even more.

This was perfectly fine as watermelon was meant to be a soothing and relaxing flavor as opposed to a bold and intense flavor.

Everyone, specially Ainsley, enjoyed the WATERmelon Wands. Then after they swallowed, a massive shower of water descended upon James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily. It was as though a historic rainstorm had come cascading down upon them.

In this moment James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily were all quite glad that they were naked as this amount of water would have drenched any clothes and made them heavy.

As water continued to spray them, James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily were all laughing their asses off.

This was just good old clean soaking fun and James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily were enjoying the hell out of it.

And as if that fun wasn't enough, the thing that made them all, especially James and Lily, really happy, happened after calm had been restored.

1ce the water had stopped, there 7 of what appeared to be tickets on the floor at each of their feet.

When they picked them up, James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily couldn't believe their great luck.

These 7 tickets read: Congrulations! As 1 of the 1st 7 people to eat a WATERmelon Wand, you have won free admission to the Wand hall of Fame, a musem showing the history of wands and displaying antique wands that opens in Diagon Alley in London on August 25th 2020 at any time of your choosing between August 25th, 2020 and August 31st, 2020.

"Wow!" beamed Lily, "An opportunity to go the Wand Hall of Fame for free around the time of it's opening! Any witch or wizard would salivate over such an opportunity, "I'm looking forward to more than most and I know James is too!"

"It will be 1 of the most exciting days of my life," glowed James with anticipation in his voice, "Perfect timing too."

"The summer before you become Hogwarts wandmaking teacher," smiled Lily, "What a perfect lead up."

"What a neat thing to happen to a nice group like us," said Devon happily, "In the New Era of Hogwarts, you never know what surprises might await you."

"Even as someone who is more interested in and adept at Wandless Magic, even I cherish the opportunity to explore the Wand Hall of Fame." said Hugo simply.

"How can you not love the opportunity," agreed Ainsley, "And we'll be amongst the 1st people to see the Wand Hall of Fame."

"We're a Lucky 7 indeed," squealed Stephanie, "Of all the people in the Wizarding World, the 7 of us get this chance."

"James made a great choice when he picked WATERmelon Wands and now we all get to reap the rewards of James's brilliance," said Samantha as she grinned at James.

"And," said Lily sincerely, "It'll also be a great opportunity to have Ainsley with us just before she goes off toe the Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing."

"Yes," said Ainsley warmly, "It'll be a perfect time and way for me to spend some time with the rest of you before I head off to the Ultimate University Of Wizarding Healing."

"My turn to pick now," insisted Hugo as he pulled down a pale blue tube with the label Blueberry Blast appearing in a vertical format in a shade in of blue reminiscent of New York Giants jerseys. There was a San Diego Chargers powder blue screw off top on top of the tube. Inside the tube were 7 what looked to be mega blueberries.

Blueberry was 1 of Both Hugo's and Devon's favorite flavors and James loved all berry flavors as he viewed all berry flavors as "bold" flavors.

Hugo unscrewed the top and passed 1 of the mega blueberries each to James, Devon, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily while keeping 1 for himself.

As expected, this was the most intense sweet they had all tasted so far on this day.

After Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily had all swallowed, a 77 MPH wind cut across Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily, completely drying them off.

"I see now why these are called Blueberry BLASTS!" exclaimed James, "We're all totally dry now."

"And that was a LOT of water that the WATERmelon Wands sprayed on us," added Hugo.

"So always follow up eating WATERmelon Wands by eating Blueberry Blasts," smirked Devon.

"I've never felt stronger wind," observed Samantha, "We don't get hurricanes in Arizona, though some monsoons can be pretty strong."

"It was a warm wind too," said Stephanie, "That felt really good."

"It especially good to have that warm wind blowing against our faces," smiled Stephanie.

"Quick extreme shower, quicker extreme drying," grinned Lily, "3 for 3 so far."

Ainsley made the next selection. As she was a huge cat lover, she grabbed a box of chocolates with chocolate cats stamped in gold lettering atop the box.

Ainsley lifted the lid off of the box and discovered that it contained 7 cat shaped chocolates.

"I'm going to pass the box around," explained Ainsley, "Everyone take 1 and I'll take the last 1 when the box comes back to me."

Ainsley 1st offered the box to Devon, who took 1 chocolate cat and then passed the box on James, who took 1 chocolate cat and passed the box on to Hugo. This process was repeated until Hugo, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily had each gotten 1 chocolate cat and Lily passed the box back to Ainsley, who took the last chocolate cat for herself.

As they started to hold the chocolate cats, a distinct meowing sound emanated from the chocolate and grew louder and louder.

"The only way to shut them up is to eat them," explained the ghost.

This statement caused Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily, all of whose ears were ringing by this point, to quickly eat the chocolate cats.

Chocolate was a universally beloved flavor in this group. Devon, James, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were all huge chocolate fans. Hugo liked chocolate less than the other 6 but still enjoyed it nevertheless.

The Chocolate Cats were delicious. They were made of high quality milk chocolate and Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all chewed slowly so as to savor the flavor more.

There was no after effect this time but Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily savored the yumminess of the chocolate.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all looked at each other and smiled at each other broadly. They didn't say a word. They didn't need to. Everyone knew that they were all in agreement that it was most delicious chocolate they had ever tasted.

Stephanie selected a handful of multicolored candies that were just individually sitting in a plain box that was labeled Sweet Swirls. The candies were pretty generic shaped but had a colorful mix of abstract orange, yellow, lime green, white, hot pink, sky blue, Arizona Cardinals red, and baby blue.

Stephanie grabbed 7 of these Sweet Swirls out of the box but dropped them on the ground. Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily each picked 1 up and ate it.

While Sweet Swirls were sweet and juicy, they clearly tried to mix too many flavors. They tasted disgusting and they all spit them out.

"Yuck!" screeched James, "This is the most disgusting candy I've ever tasted."

Stephanie groaned. James had always believed in honesty and bluntness over tact and sensitivity so if you made a gaffe around James, you knew you had made a gaffe.

Deciding the best way to protect Stephanie's feelings was to move on quickly, Samantha quickly grabbed a bright white plastic holder shaped like a light bulb with Lemon Lights glowing in vivid yellow lettering across the front.

The container was transparent and Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily could easily see that exactly 7 yellow candies were in the container. 4 of them were shaped like lemons and 3 of them were shaped like light bulbs.

"Easy enough," grinned Samantha, "There are 3 light bulb shapes and 4 lemon shapes. There are 3 boys and 4 girls here. I think it would make sense for the boys to take the light bulb shaped candies and the girls to take the lemon shaped candies."

There was a muttering of accent to this. Samantha quickly passed 1 light bulb shaped candy each to Devon, James, and Hugo. She then passed 1 lemon shaped candy each to Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily while keeping the last of those for herself.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were all lemon fans but Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were the 1s who liked lemon best.

Next nanosecond, Stephanie had the most diverse taste in sweets amongst the 7 and lemon was her favorite citrus flavor. Samantha usually preferred chocolate candy but lemon was 1 of her 2 favorite non chocolate flavors (along with orange.) Lily was a huge citrus fan whose 3 favorite sweet flavors were Lemon, Orange. and Lime. As a young child, Lily had been PISSED in 2013 when green apple had replaced lime in Skittles. But really, all 7 of them were lemon fans so all 7 of them eagerly popped the candies into their mouths.

These candies were somewhat harder than the candies they had been eating. The flavor of lemon was strong enough at the start. The candies also had what could called a progressive chew and eventually a bite collapsed the candy and a huge explosion of juice in the mouth occurred. The nanosecond this happen, the flavor of lemon intensified. Lemon Lights reminded Samantha of the American Sweet Lemonhead.

"YUMMMMM!" squeaked Lily happily, "Best lemon flavored candy I've ever tasted!"

"As a bona fide candy expert, I can confirm that that is 100%!"

"Lemon is an awesome flavor anyway but Lemon Lights take the cake!" said Stephanie brightly.

"An all time great candy," agreed Samantha.

"Look at the light!" said Devon in amazement!

As Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all looked around themselves, they saw that they all had rings of light around them as though they were light bulbs.

"We're burning brightly!" smirked Samantha, "I showed us the light!"

"Ha ha very funny!" Ainsley razed Samantha.

"We're all lit up!" said Stephanie cheerfully.

"I love magic!" beamed Samantha, "I've seen so many amazing things since I joined the Wizarding World."

"Totally agree," chorused her fellow muggleborns Devon and Stephanie.

"Well, big sis, it's finally your to pick," said James encouragingly, "I know you'll make it a good 1."

Lily saw something that make her insides glow with warmth on the shelf directly aligned with her head. As Lily was a midget, this was pretty low shelf. Sge saw a plain box of candies that were sitting individually in a box in the same the Sweet Swirls. These candies were Easter pastel colors that were similar to the colors used on the boxes in the pricing game 1/2 Off.

These candies were heart shaped and bore messages in red letters such as "Forever friends.", "I Love you.", "My sweetheart.", "BFF", "Got Love.", "Soulmate." and "My dearest."

They looked like ordinary muggle candy hearts, Lily picked 7 of the hearts up in her right hand and distributed them to Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie while keeping 1 for herself.

These magical candy hearts tasted exactly like muggle candy hearts.

But the nanosecond they swallowed them, they suddenly joined closer together and engaged in a tight group hug and rubbed against each other's bodies at the same time. The affection they were all feeling for each other was palpable. Even the normally unaffectionate Samantha felt it as the effects of the candies were unresistable for anyone, no matter how ordinarily unaffectionate. But Lily felt it strongest. It was a feeling of loving each other and loving this shared experience. Lily savored this feeling more than anything else. Nothing felt better to Lily than the feeling of loving and being loved.

1ce the spell wore off, Samantha and Stephanie were the 1st 2 to break away from the hug.

"I'm NEVER eating those poor influencing candies again," said Samantha decisively, "The very worst of human beings is that they become emotionally attached to other people. This of course, leads to grief and sadness later. And we have a magical candy PROMOTING this? Most disgusting candy of all time."

"PDA's are disgusting anyway," added Stephanie scornfully.

"Absolutely right," agreed Samantha.

"At least they tasted decent," admitted Stephanie.

"True," agreed Samantha, "But in the future let's stick with the muggle version."

"What next?" asked Devon.

"The 3 Broomsticks," piped Hugo, "I'm thirsty and I've been looking forward to trying butterbeer."

"The 3 Broomsticks it is then," smiled Lily.


	68. Rachel Reunited

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily, guided by James and the Marauder's Map, set off for the 3 Broomsticks.

As Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily approached, a girl opened it from the inside. This girl was a costumer who was leaving and she held the door for Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily as they entered the 3 Broomsticks.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily saw that the girl who had held the door for them was 7th year Ravenclaw Jill Kirke. Though none of them actually knew Jill, they recognized her by sight from when she had received an honorable mention during the announcements of the Hogwarts Writing Competition winners.

Jill was clearly on her own and that didn't surprise Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily in the slightest. While 6th and 7ths years were always less likely to go into Hogsmeade than the younger students, 6th and 7th year Ravenclaws almost never went to Hogsmeade. It was a well know fact at Hogwarts than Ravenclaws in N.E.W.T years stayed at Hogwarts on Hogsmeade weekends to take advantage of the Ravenclaw Common Room and the library being quieter and less crowded than usual with students in years 2-5 (formerly years 3-5.) being away in Hogsmeade. Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff all always had a few older students who still enjoyed Hogsmeade trips but for a 6th or 7th year Ravenclaw to be in Hogsmeade was almost unheard of. Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily didn't have much time to think about this as were greeted quickly.

1ce Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily were inside, the waitress approached them. She looked familiar to all of them but it was Ainsley and Lily who were happiest to see her.

"RACHEL ROBINS!" exclaimed Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily.

"Indeed it is," replied Rachel, "Yes I am the latest 3 Broomsticks waitress."

Devon, James, and Hugo had never had much contact with Rachel but she had been a Quidditch teammate of Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily in her final year at Hogwarts. Because Ainsley and Lily developed stronger bonds with other people than Samantha and Stephanie did, Ainsley and Lily were the 1s who really felt the happiness of "seeing an old friend again," albeit not an overly close 1. Still, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily were all happy to see that Rachel seemed to be having some success in her post Hogwarts life.

After the 2nd Wizarding War, Madam Rosemerta had been fired as waitress of the 3 Broomsticks 1ce it got out that she had slipped the cursed necklace to Katie Bell. While this firing wasn't exactly fair as Rosemerta had been under the influence of the Imperius Curse at the time, customers were scared and the owners of the 3 Broomsticks felt like something had to be done.

Since then, the 3 Broomsticks had gone through a number of waitresses who had short tenures. Waiting wasn't an overly appealing career choice and most of these short tenured waitresses had also left to take better paying jobs. Still...

"Being the waitress of the 3 Broomsticks isn't a bad 1st job for a girl just out of Hogwarts," said Rachel pleasantly, "I don't want to be a waitress the rest of my life, but as a 1st job, being the waitress of the 3 Broomsticks is a good gig."

"How is your post Hogwarts life treating you, Rachel?" asked Lily kindly.

"I'm happy with the position I'm in," said Rachel matter of factly, "When the appropriate opportunity to take a more permanent job comes up, my heart will tell me it's the right time to move on."

"Do you plan on marrying?" Ainsley asked Rachel.

"If it ever happens fine and if it never happens fine," answered Rachel in a firm voice, "If it's meant for me to be married, then the opportunity will present itself naturally. I'm not going to go out of my way to look for it."

"Did you ever consider a career in Professional Quidditch?" Ainsley inquired.

"No," said Rachel instantly, "I don't want to put my body through years of that kind of punishment. I enjoyed playing on the Gryffindor team at Hogwarts and winning that Quidditch Cup-

"Thanks to my awesome skills as the greatest Keeper in Hogwarts history," injected Samantha.

"Seriously, Samantha," asked Rachel irritably, "Do you really need to be as conceited, selfish, and full of yourself as Gilderoy Lockhart and Fleur Delacour?"

"Do NOT compare Samantha with those losers!" said Devon angrily.

"I didn't complain about or say anything about it at the time , but we heard this from Samantha all last year," Rachel reminded them.

"You don't know the real Samantha Saver," said Stephanie, "The rest of us do."

"True, I was never that close with Samantha," admitted Rachel, "OHHHHHH!"

"What did you just remember, Rachel?" asked James.

"Something I should appreciated more when it happened," responded an embarrassed Rachel, "In our last match last year, Stephanie missed a Bludger and it broke Samantha's nose and caused her profuse bleeding and intense pain. Samantha did not say a word about this to Stephanie nor did she criticize Stephanie to the rest of the team. That says a lot about what kind of teammate she is. Even if I was never that close with Samantha, well, something like that should have caught my attention more. "

"Stephanie would hit that Bludger away from me 99 times out 100," said Samantha supportively, "There's not another Beater I'd rather have protect me than Stephanie Saver."

"Rachel," said James firmly, "Do you know about the personal tragedy Stephanie suffered over the summer?"

"I did read about that," said Rachel sadly, "It was gut wrenching to read about a former teammate losing her family and her home. I have no idea who the witch daughter referenced in the paper is though. Supposedly, a witch daughter persuaded her parents to take Stephanie into her family to get her out of the orphanage."

"Samantha is the witch daughter," said Stephanie emotionally, "That's why I'm now Stephanie Saver."

"Wow, good for you Samantha," said Rachel proudly, patting Samantha on the back, "Talk about being there someone when they really need someone to be there for them."

"That should prove beyond a shadow of doubt that Samantha is NOTHING like Gilderoy Lockhart and Fleur Delacour," said Hugo fiercely, "Gilderoy Lockhart and Fleur Delacour were truly conceited, stuck up, selfish, full of themselves people. While Samantha may seem like that kind of person on the surface, the true Samantha Saver has a huge heart beneath that exterior. Gilderoy Lockhart and Fleur Delacour are 2 people I'm really glad to have never met. "

"Hear, hear," agreed James, "And let's hope we never do meet them. On the other hand, We're lucky to have Samantha in our lives. There's no doubt she will always be there for us when we need her. She's proven that, as Stephanie knows best."

"Remember too that Samantha made a major donation to Worthy Wands on the day it was founded," said Lily appreciatively.

"I get it," said Rachel, "But back to the original question, I want to be able to enjoy a normal life with a healthy body later in life. That means pro Quidditch is NOT for me. Whatever is will be clear to my heart when that opportunity presents itself and I'll pounce on that opportunity like a tiger when it comes."

"Good luck, Rachel," chorused Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily.

"Thanks for your kind words," said Rachel, "Let me find you 7 a place to sit."

1ce Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily were seated, Hugo placed their order "7 hot butterbeers."

Rachel decided to made a suggestion to Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily before proceeding.

"Butterbeer can be served hot or cold," explained Rachel, "Hogwarts students traditionally get hot butterbeers. I would like to suggest trying butterbeer cold today and trying it hot in your 2nd Hogsmeade visit in December. Butterbeer is generally preferred hot. However, I think it would be a great experience for you all to try hot butterbeer for the 1st time when it's cold. You only get to try hot butterbeer the 1st time 1ce. Besides, cold butterbeer is damn good in it's own right. I suggest you try the cold butterbeer today. I'm not trying to force anything on you but I am making a suggestion."

"I've heard that butterbeer "warms up your insides," said Hugo, "I've been looking forward to that experience. But what you say makes all the sense in the world. The best possible experience of trying hot butterbeer for the 1st time would be during the cold winter."

"As the only 1 apart from Rachel to have actually tried butterbeer and as someone who has had it both hot and cold, I say get it cold today. Do try hot butterbeer for the 1st time when it's cold," James advised them.

"If the waitress and the experienced butterbeer drinker both say to have it cold today and wait to try hot butterbeer for the 1st time until it's colder, we should take their advice," said Hugo matter of factly.

Everyone agreed to this, and Rachel went to retrieve 7 bottles of cold butterbeer.

1ce Rachel had served Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily 1 bottle of cold butterbeer each, it was Devon who took the 1st sip.

"Wow," said Devon happily, "This stuff is GOOD. Obviously we have no reference to the hot venison to compare it to but man this stuff gets an O in O.W.L."

At this proclamation, Hugo took his 1st sip followed closely by James, the only 1 of the 7 who knew what to expect.

"Thank you, James, thank you, Rachel," said Hugo instantly, "Especially you, Rachel, this cold butterbeer is the best cold thing I've ever tasted and I still get to look forward to trying hot butterbeer for the 1st time as a Christmastime treat. You gave me the best of both worlds. I get to have something that is AWESOME today while still being able to look forward to something I think will be more awesome at Christmas. Rachel, thank you for making that suggestion. Waitress knows best!"

"I was just giving a little friendly advice," said Rachel humbly, "I'm glad it worked out for you."

Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha now took a sip each.

"I'm glad I waited," smiled Ainsley, "Amy always told me to never drink butterbeer, be it hot or cold, prior to my 1st trip into Hogsmeade. Amy always told me that trying butterbeer for the 1st time was 1 of the great experiences of that 1st Hogsmeade visit that made the 1st Hogsmeade visit so special. Amy was right about that. This also has a bit of a rite of passage feel to it."

"HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" squealed Samantha, "This stuff is really tasty. I can't image anyone trying this and not liking it. I suspect the hot version is even better. Rachel, is butterbeer THE most popular beverage in the Wizarding World. I know it's near the top but is it 1?"

"Easily," answered Rachel matter of factly, "Butterbeer is easily the gold medalist of wizarding beverages. All other wizarding beverages are niche drinks."

"It's easy to see why," piped up Stephanie, "But does anyone know what the ingredients are in butterbeer?"

"Water, sugar, and butter," answered Rachel.

Lily was the last 1 to try her butterbeer and she grinned the nanosecond the drink touched her lips.

"Rachel," said Lily warmly, holding out her left hand, "I want to shake your hand. The combination of your suggestion and your work making these butterbeers has helped make this a very enjoyable 1st trip into Hogsmeade with the promise of an even more enjoyable 1 to come in a few months. Thanks for your friendly advice and for your work in making the butterbeers."

Rachel put out her left hand and accepted Lily's handshake but said, "Butterbeer will come out the same no matter who makes it. It will not be better or worse because of who manufactures it. It's not the nature of the product. It would have been juts as good if anyone else had made it."

"Still, you put a lot of work into making those butterbeers and you deserve to be acknowledged for that," said Lily warmly.

Rachel smiled. It meant a lot to Rachel to see how much Lily appreciated her work.

Lily was the last to finish her butterbeers, savoring the last few sips.

1ce they had all finished, Samantha asked Rachel, "Do we need to tip you?"

"That's a muggle thing," Devon explained to Samantha, "Tipping is not done at Wizarding Establishments."

"Rachel," asked Samantha, "Would it help you if we did give you tips?"

"It would," said Rachel quietly, "While I will keep my salary to myself, I will admit that my pay is not great and it would help me out a lot if tipping did exist in the Wizarding World."

"Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, , and Lily," requested Samantha, "Can everyone please pitch in and give Rachel some tip money here. Waitresses have a thankless job that rewards them with low pay in the process. I know everyone here can afford a little tip, would you all please pitch in and help Rachel out here?"

"Of course we will," smiled Lily as Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Stephanie all nodded, "How much should we tip Rachel?"

"7 galleons each," requested Samantha, "I sense Rachel needs some help right now and we each give her a 7 galleon tip that would give her 49 extra galleons."

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, , and Lily all agreed to this and when they paid Rachel for their butterbeers Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily each gave a 7 galleon tip.

Rachel had tears in her eyes as she accepted these tips. Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily clearly genuinely cared about her.

"Thank you," said Rachel emotionally, "T- this is the 1st t-time a- any of my customers h-have ever appreciated my work. The acknowledgements of and appreciate for my suggestions, work, and effort meant something in and of themselves. Customers usually take me for granted. But to go the extra mile to help me when you sensed I could use some help says everything about what kind of people you are."

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all nodded and Rachel smiled back at them.

Another group of customers now entered the 3 Broomsticks and Rachel had tend to them, but she exchanged quick goodbyes with Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily and gave an additional thank you as they got up to leave.


	69. Sisterly Suprises

As Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily walked along in Hogsmeade, with James leading the way for the others who hadn't been in Hogsmaede before, they were bitterly disappointed to see that Splintwitches Sporting Needs was closed for remodeling, as they walked on still, they passed a small white tent with a black ? on it.

"Let's see who or what is inside!" said James curiously.

Obviously, this was not part of the plan Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily had laid out for their 1st Hogsmeade trip.

But when James said he wanted to go see who or what was inside the tent, it meant that Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were going to go and see what was inside the tent. Everyone present knew that Devon and James were the true bosses of the group and that going against the wishes of either Devon or James was a major no-no.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all approached the slowly. Being that it was Halloween, just about anything could be found inside a tent marked with a ?

But what was actually inside the tent was a girl. A girl who looked like a younger Stephanie.

When Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily entered the tent, the girl and Stephanie stared at each other in loud stunned silence for a minute and a nanosecond'

Then, with Stephanie and the girl still staring at each other, Stephanie's mouth opened wide.

" _Courtney! You're alive!", "_ squealed a stunned Stephanie.

Courtney's mouth now opened wide and she exclaimed, " _Stephanie! You're alive!"_

"Courtney, sis, I thought you were dead. Your death was even reported in the Daily Prophet," said Stephanie heavily.

"Stephanie, I didn't know whether you died or escaped. I've been on the run since we lost our parents and our home. The ONLY reason that I survived is because I was outside at the time of the fire. If my death was reported, it would be because I was presumed dead when I was never seen or heard from after the incident."

"What did you see after the fire?" Stephanie asked Courtney urgently, feeling a need to know as much as she possibly could about the day her life changed forever.

At this point, both Courtney and Stephanie started to tear up a bit.

"I s-saw o-our home totally gu- gutted and A- Austin's and Mor- Morgan's dead bodies a little outside where our back door had been. It seemed t me that they h- had escaped the fl- flames but died of smoke inhalation."

"I c- can't imagine what that was like to have seen," cried Stephanie guiltily, "I appaarated to the Ministry of Magic and informed Minister Shacklebolt that a massive fire had swept through my house. Investigators later found the house burnt to- totally down and A-Austin and Mo- Morgan d-dead."

"I know you're a witch," explained Courtney, "But because you are not a natural born witch I assumed your magic was weak."

"Plenty of muggleborns have strong magic-" began Lily but Courtney cut her off.

"Stephanie isn't even a muggleborn," explained Courtney patiently, "Muggleborns are born with their magic. Stephanie is a natural born muggle who had a magical core surgically implanted into her just after she turned 11 so she could become a witch."

"On my 11th birthday," said Stephanie clearly, "Professor McGonagall visited my house. She explained to me that she was looking to perform an experiment on whether muggles could be made into witches and wizards and if so to what degree. A magical core would surgically inserted into me. A magical core has never been inserted into a muggle before so no one had any idea what to expect. McGonagall warned me she couldn't guarantee me success in the Wizarding World. Still I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking the offer. If it didn't work out, I could go back to living in the muggle world with no harm done. If it did work out, well, what a wonderful opportunity."

"You told us you were muggleborn!" said James in a steely voice, "You never said you were a natural born muggle who had a magical core inserted into you, you liar!"

"Professor McGonagall told me that she preferred for as few people as possible to know about this experiment. At some point this experiment and its results result will become public but McGonagall wishes to be the 1 who chooses when that time is. As of now, the only living people who know about this are myself, Courtney, McGonagall, and Healer, the Healer who performed the procedure to insert the magical core into me.," Stephanie informed them.

Courtney's head dropped guiltily.

"Damn!" said Courtney regretfully, "I blew it. McGonagall DID tell the entire family not to going sprouting off about Stephanie being a "non natural bon witch," and to keep our traps shut. I shouldn't have let that slip. I should have said, "I didn't how powerful a witch you were or something to that effect."

"It's okay, Courtney," said Stephanie, "McGonagall said she wanted as few people as possible to know. She doesn't want the whole school or the whole magical community knowing about this and rumor mongering about it. I know you've only ever met Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily a couple of times at King's Cross and even there only for very short snippets. But you can rest 1 billion % assured that all of them can be trusted to keep secrets and not go shooting their mouths off. I will inform McGonagall that Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily now know about this but I'm sure she'll be unconcerned. She knows that they are all very trustworthy people."

Courtney looked relived and then said, "Stephanie, I also owe you an apology."

Seeing the confused looks on the faces of Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, Samantha, and Lily, Courtney piped up in a sad, somber, guilty voice, "The last time I saw Stephanie, the last thing I said to my sister was that I hated her and that I hoped I never had to see or speak to her again."

"Ouch!" piped up Lily involuntarily, "I can't even begin to imagine how much guilt you must have carried with you about that being the last thing your sister ever heard from you."

"It's been weighing heavily on my heart since that day," said Courtney heavily.

"It was actually a blessing in disguise that you were so angry with me that day," said Stephanie thoughtfully, "You only went outside to get away from me and if you had been inside the house at the time of fire you probably would have died. I say it's all part of God's plan for us."

"There is no god!" chorused Samantha and Lily angrily.

Courtney gave a small nod of agreement towards Stephanie that only Stephanie understood.

"Can I tell them why you were mad at me that night?" Stephanie asked Courtney.

"Yes," answered Courtney simply.

"Courtney and I like both art," explained Stephanie, "I love to draw and Courtney loves to paint. On the night we lost our home, Courtney had spent the afternoon painting what she thought, and was, a beautiful, perfect painting depiction of a total solar eclipse."

"That painting was inspired by a real total solar eclipse," smiled Courtney, "On August 21st, 2017, Austin and Morgan had taken Stephanie and I on a trip to Nashville to see a total solar eclipse in person."

"All hail Austin and Morgan for giving us that opportunity," said Stephanie appreciatively, "Total solar eclipses don't come around that often."

"The next 1 isn't until April 8th, 2024 and will extend from Texas to Maine," said Courtney matter of factly, "To 1 in person was a breathtaking treat."

"TV and the internet don't do it justice," said Stephanie.

"But my painting came close," said Courtney proudly.

"And I wrecked it," admitted Stephanie sadly, "Courtney asked me to come up to her room and told me she had something she wanted to show me. Courtney usually didn't allow me into her room so I knew this had to be something big. I got a glimpse of this majestic painting of a total solar eclipse and I..."

"Spit it out, Stephanie," said Courtney encouragingly, "I have since forgiven you."

"I spilled soda on the painting, ruining it," said Stephanie guiltily, her head drooping, "Courtney was really angry and told me at the top of her lungs that she hated me and never wanted to see or speak to me again and she ran outside. Austin and Morgan overheard this and when I told them why Courtney was angry with me, they understood her anger but felt she had gone too far in saying that she never wanted to see or speak to me again."

"It must have so frustrating to spend the whole afternoon working on that painting, do a wonderful job on it, and have it ruined," said Samantha sympathetically.

"It was," said Courtney clearly, "But Austin and Morgan were right about me going too far. I realized that the next morning. I have had to carry this wrench in my heart the whole time that I've been on the run that the last thing my sister ever heard from me was that I hated her and never wanted to see her again. And the fact that we separated from each other merely hours after I said that..."

Courtney trailed off but realized, "But it WAS a blessing in disguise. Everything happens for a reason. I was meant to survive and if that's what had to happen for me to survive, so be it."

"Going forward," said Lily encouragingly, "Let this experience serve as a lesson. Tomorrow is never guaranteed and you should never say something like that to a loved 1 because you never know if it will be the last time you see them alive."

Courtney nodded and said, "I think that is a good lesson to learn, but I think it was meant for me to survive, Stephanie where have you lived since we lost our home?"

"For a very brief time I was in an orphanage-

"That's why I ran away," said Courtney timidly, "I was so scared and I was terrified of having to live in an orphanage. I've heard too many horror stories about them."

"Well, Samantha read in the Evening prophet that night about us losing our house and parents and about me being in an orphanage," Stephanie informed Courtney, "She persuaded her parents, Samuel and Sarah Saver, to adopt me. I have been living with the Savers whist not at Hogwarts ever since. I have also changed my last name to Saver, both as a token of appreciation for what the Savers did for me in taking me in and because I felt like in order to get on with my life and move on, I needed to leave the name Baylac in the past."

"Courtney," said Samantha pleadingly, "I didn't know you were still alive. It was certainly never my intent to steal your sister from you."

"Samantha," said Courtney warmly, "Thank you. Thank you for being there for Stephanie and taking care of her. You saved my Stephanie from hell by getting her out of that goddamn orphanage."

" _Courtney!"_ said Stephanie sharply, "We do NOT take God's name in vein."

"Sorry," said Courtney gently.

Turning back to Samantha, Courtney said, "Samantha, you didn't steal my sister from me at all, you were the 1 who make sure she was well cared for and had a good home."

Samantha smiled at Courtney and Courtney smiled back at Samantha.

Turning to Stephanie, Courtney held out her right hand and said, "Stephanie, if you agree that we have forgiven each other for what happened between us on the afternoon before we lost our house, please shake my hand."

Stephanie extended her left hand to Courtney and the biological sisters exchanged a hearty handshake. This served as a huge release for both of them and the looks on their faces afterward indicated a peace that hadn't been present since they'd met in this tent.

"And Samantha," added Courtney, now turning back to her and holding out her right hand to Samantha, "I want to shake your hand for a different reason. I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am that Stephanie had such a great friend that she was able to get a good home out of that friendship when it seemed like times were most dark."

Courtney and Samantha exchanged a quicker handshake.

"Courtney," said Samantha clearly, "it so happens that the Savers still have 1 extra room. I think the best possible solution for you would be for us to adopt you as well. In that way you could have a comfortable home and be in the same family as your biological sister again."

Stephanie and Courtney exchanged stunned looks with each other and Samantha and both Stephanie and Courtney beamed at Samantha.

"Are you sure Samuel and Sarah will be okay with this?" Courtney asked.

"Yes," said Stephanie confidently, "Samuel and Sarah took me in when I needed a home because I am 1 of their daughter's best friends. Now that I myself have established a parent/daughter relationship with Samuel and Sarah they will be only too happy to give my own biological sister the home she so desperately needs."

"Samuel and Sarah are great people," said Samantha proudly, "Courtney, you should be aware though that despite not being biologically related-

"The relationship between you and Stephanie is now no longer merely a friendship. It really is a sister-sister relationship," realized Courtney. "

"You have to understand then," said Samantha seriously, "That if we do adopt you, the relationship between you and Stephanie will not necessarily be like it was before-

"I understand," interjected Courtney, "Everything happens for a reason and, just as it was ultimately meant for Stephanie to end up a Saver, it was ultimately meant for me to become a Saver as well. Stephanie has more than enough care, compassion, and attention for both of us."

There were a few seconds and a few nanoseconds of silence.

"How exactly is this going to work?" asked Courtney.

"I assume you set this rent up with the hopes of finding me?" guessed Stephanie.

"Indeed," confirmed Courtney, "I knew 2nd years were allowed into Hogsmeade this year-

"Thanks to me," boasted Samantha as she did every chance she got.

"And 1 day whilst on the run. I overheard people talking and parts of their conversations made it clear to me that I had ended up in Hogsmeade. At that point, I set myself up in this tent and kept my ears open. Fate favored me a bit here. I heard it through the grapevine that Halloween would be the 1st Hogsmeade weekend this year. I've kept my ears open and I overheard people wishing each other Happy Halloween this morning. At that point. I moved my tent to a much more visible location and drew a ? on it in the hopes of attracting attention. The fates made sure it was you lot who found me."

"We. that is to say, Samantha, you, and I will leave Hogsmeade now and inform McGonagall that we have found you. She will contact Samuel and Sarah and you can meet them tonight. I will ask McGonagall for permission for Samantha and myself to leave Hogwarts for 1 day tomorrow so that we can spend a 1st day together as a new family and then you will live there. Samantha and myself will next come home at Christmastime.' answered Stephanie.

"That all makes sense," said Courtney in understanding.


	70. Halloween Heartbreak

As Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie. Courtney, and Lily all looked on, a Hogwarts barn owl flew slowly towards them, carrying a letter in its beak.

The owl's deliberate movement gave off an aura of melancholyness.

The owl dropped the letter pokily into James's hands, dropped a tear on the letter, and sluggishly took off again.

James read through the letter slowly and quietly. He reread the letter a couple of times and by the time he had finished, tears were flowing down his cheeks and he had a very somber look on his face that was most unusual from him.

"James, what's wrong?" asked Lily gently, giving her brother a pat on the back.

James read the letter aloud.

"Dear Mr. Potter.

The Wizarding World has just received some heartbreaking news and it will be particularly personal for you. Mr. Potter, it is my gut wrenching duty to inform you that, last night, Mr. Garrick Olivander passed away in his sleep at the age of 423. While Mr. Olivander has been ill this past week, there had been no expectation that he would die. Fortunately, there are still thousands of unsold wands stacked in Olivander's shop. Mr.. Olivander has also been making more new wands recently and new wands that he completed will be added to his shop's stockpile. As such, the need for new Wandmakers is not urgent. However, Mr. Olivander's death does emphasize the need to train new Wandmakers. The reports I got from Mr. Olivander were that your Wandmaking lessons with him had gone exceptionally well. It is still the plan for you to start teaching Wandmaking at Hogwarts next year. I strongly encourage you to continue practicing Wandmaking on your own using the same times that Olivander had been teaching you. It is imperative that you keep your own Wandmaking skills sharp leading up to the taking of your teaching post. My deepest condolences on the loss of your teacher, mentor, and friend, Garrick Olivander. If you feel the need to talk about what has happened, let me kindly remind you that I have an open door policy. That said, I know you have family and friends who can comfort you far better than I can and I wholeheartedly expect them to be there you to support you in this heartbreaking time. I know Mr. Olivander was honored to have you as his pupil and that the feeling was mutual. 1 day, I hope your students can follow in his footsteps. 1ce you have finished reading this letter, please observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Garrick Olivander.

Sincerely-

Hogwarts headmistress Minerva McGonagall."

"Let's please do observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Garrick Olivander," requested James.

Everyone fell silent for a minute and a nanosecond.

"Thank you," said James quietly. "To me. Mr. Olivander was more than a mythical Wandmaker, he was a mentor and a friend, and my-

James stopped talking suddenly and burst into uncontrollable tears.

"This is why you should never allow yourself to become emotionally attached to other people," said Samantha critically, "If only you wouldn't have been foolish enough to allow yourself to become emotionally attached to other people in the 1st place, you wouldn't have to feel the grief and heartbreak you feel right now."

Both Stephanie and Courtney nodded quietly at this.

Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily, however, took a few steps towards James and Lily gave him a comforting pat on the back.

"James, I know it's hard, losing people is the hardest part of life," said Lily in understanding,

"But those bonds and those relationships are the very thing that gives life its meaning and makes life worth living," said James fiercely, "Is the love and joy that comes with those relationships worth the eventual heartbreak on the other end?"

"NO!" chorused Stephanie, Courtney, and Samantha with Samantha's voice being particularly firm.

"YES!" chorused James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily.

"As neither group is going to change the other group's mind on that topic, let's not waste time arguing it right now," said Ainsley wisely, "James, how do you feel about going forward practicing Wandmaking on your own?"

"I'm confident in my physical ability to make wands but I have a huge emotional challenge ahead of mine. The fact that my time making wands in the History of Magic classroom will now be spent alone is going to be hard. I'll probably look across the desk and 1/2 expect to see Olivander on the other side for a few weeks. It's going to eerie or at least empty for awhile."

"James," vowed Lily, "You won't have handle this all alone. If you wish, I would like to offer to come along to your Wandmaking sessions on Monday and Wednesday nights. I sense that it may be easier for you to get through these sessions the rest of the school year if you have company during them.'

"It would give me a lot more strength to push through if I were to have company during these sessions," said James hopefully, "It would be much appreciated if you would come into the History of Magic classroom with me during these sessions."

"I will," promised Lily fiercely, "James, no matter what I'll always be there you when you need someone."

James and Lily embraced for a few nanoseconds.

"I'm the luckiest boy in the world to have Lily for a sister," choked up James,

"Not to be disrespectful to the personal loss that James has suffered," said Ainsley quietly, "But the death of Mr. Olivander is an enormous loss for the Wizarding World. He was 1 of the greatest wizards of the 20th century.'

"I think we all feel a bit stung by this news," said Hugo sadly.

"In my opinion," said Devon respectfully, "Garrick Olivander was 1 of the 5 greatest wizards of the 20th century. My top 5 in no particular order are Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Garrick Olivander."

"Gellet Grindewald? Lord Voldemort?" asked Hugo.

"He said greatest, not most powerful," said Ainsley smartly, "Grindewald and Voldemort were nothing more than power hungry murders."

"Exactly," said Lily clearly, "Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Garrick Olivander used their power, positions, and magic for good. Grindewald and Voldemort on the other hand..."

"Dumbledore and Snape were both very flawed," admitted James, "But without them, Voldemort is not defeated."

"Hey, James, "asked Lily, "I am going to ask you a question but please feel free to decline to answer if the question is too sensitive for you at this time. What did you find Olivander like as a person?"

"Stern and serious on the outside, soft and caring on the inside," answered James, "When I had my 1st lesson with Olivander, he gave off an aura of seriousness. But as we got into our lessons, I could tell how caring he was. He understood why I chose to make the replica wands I did and what my relationships with those people who I made them for meant to me. I could also tell he cared about me as a person. He wanted me to succeed not because I was his pupil but because he wanted me to do well for myself and because he understood how important it was to the Wizarding World as a whole."

"How are you feeling, James?" asked Ainsley seriously.

"Incomplete," said James sadly.

"That's exactly it," nodded Hugo in understanding, "When you lose someone, be it family, friend, mentor, or some combination thereof, you are never whole again. I learned that in the most painful way possible when my father died of a tragic potions accident the summer before I started Hogwarts."

"I know that all too well from when Grandma Petunia died from that fall after I barely started Hogwarts," acknowledged Devon.

"This was also an unexpected death," said Lily in a low voice, "Even as old as he was, he was expected to recover from his illness. That aspect adds another layer of difficulty to both James's and the Wizarding World's loss."

"His death has affected us all whether we knew him well or not," said Devon sincerely, "There are few people in Wizarding Britain who won't be heartbroken by this."

"Our world is a far far far far far worse place for the loss of Mr. Olivander," said Lily in a somber voice.

Next nanosecond James, Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily all had tears in their eyes. James tears had a burning sensation in them.

James raised his wand and said, "Mr. Olivander this is for you."

James used a nonverbal spell and soon a large white capital letter O could be seen towering over the skies of Hogsmeade. James raised his wand a 2nd time and did another nonverbal spell. At that, a line in the shape of a wand cut down vertically through the center if the O.

Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Samantha, Stephanie. Courtney, and Lily all looked at the O that James had made in the sky.

The sense of both greatness and of loss was palpable and the O James had made in the sky was hugely symbolic of both.

"Goodbye and thank you," said James emotionally as he stared up at the O.


	71. Scary Halloween

James's O slowly faded from the sky in a dignified way.

When it was gone, Samantha piped up, "I'm going to take Stephanie and Courtney up to Hogwarts to sort out Courtney's future. Would the rest of you please wait here? If it's going to be a long time or if we will not return to Hogsmeade, we will send you a message."

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily all chorused "yes" and waited in the tent.

10 minutes later, a Hogwarts barn owl came zooming towards them faster than a cheetah chasing its prey.

The owl dropped a letter into Lily's hands and took off again with the speed of a rocket.

"This is Samantha's handwriting," recognized Lily.

"Read it aloud," chorused Devon, James, Hugo, and Ainsley.

So Lily read aloud:

Dear Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily:

I have great news. As expected, Samuel and Sarah have agreed to adopt Courtney. Better yet, Professor McGonagall has given Stephanie and me permission to go home right away and not come back until Monday morning. We will be spending the rest of the weekend getting Courtney integrated into out family. Samuel and Sarah are going to take Courtney, Stephanie, and me trick or treating in our Arizona neighborhood during the 7 p.m. hour tonight and they are also going to take us to a haunted house that opens at 9. As Halloween is apparently Courtney's favorite holiday as well as Stephanie's, they are both delighted to have the opportunity to spend this holiday together after having not seen each other for months. Samuel and Sarah are also taking us to the Arizona Cardinals game tomorrow and I'm excited to introduce Courtney to NFL football. I showed Courtney the pictures in my room that show how Samuel was jumping up in down in his seat at University of Phoenix stadium celebrating a Cardinals last second triumph over the rival Seahawks while at that EXACT same time Sarah was giving to me at a local hospital. Like you guys, Courtney said my Arizona Cardinals connection was the coolest story ever when she 1st heard it. Courtney will be allowed to decorate her room in any manner she chooses and has been informed that when we have you lot over to stay that Hugo will borrow her room. Courtney has also decided to leave the name Baylac and take the last name of Saver. I am inspired by how appreciative Courtney is towards me (and Samuel and Sarah) for being there for Stephanie and supporting her. I look forward to having Courtney as a sister now. Have a great Halloween and Stephanie and I will see you Monday morning-

Samantha.

"Good for Samantha," said James proudly, "Whatever else you think of Samantha, you can't deny that when the chips have been down, Samantha has rallied behind her friends. When Stephanie had nowhere to go Samantha took Stephanie into her family, and now, with Courtney having nowhere to go, she has taken Courtney in and by so doing reunited lost sisters."

"And I can't stress enough how decent Samuel and Sarah have been," added Lily clearly, "They signed up to have 1 daughter and now they have 3."

"I'm glad Courtney and Stephanie are getting to spend Halloween together," said Devon matter of factly, "They deserve that after everything they've been through."

"The question now is, "said Hugo, "What are we going to do with rest of our Halloween?"

James looked down at his watch.

"We only have time for 1 more stop in Hogsmeade," said James, "And since it's Halloween we should visit-

"THE SHREIKING SHACK!" interjected Hugo and Devon together.

"Yes," said James clearly, "We can't not go to the Shrieking Shack on Halloween!"

"I'm all for it then," said Lily simply, "It makes PERFECT sense to visit the most haunted building in Britain on Halloween."

"Exactly!" chorused James, Devon, and Hugo.

"I'm disappointed we won't be going to Zonko's," admitted Ainsley, "But sometimes, not getting my way just comes with the territory of being a girl."

"As a girl with 2 older brothers at home, who should understand that better than me," said Lily wryly, actually giving Ainsley a gentle pat on the back, "But I think the others are right in this case."

Next nanosecond, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily strolled towards the Shrieking Shack.

The skies turned suddenly grayer and cloudier. An ominous aura filled the air as Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily reached the Shrieking Shack.

The door opened of its own accord with a creepy creaking sound. Next nanosecond an unnatural wind howled and gusted so strongly that Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily were involuntarily lifted off their feet and literally blown into the Shrieking Shack and onto a staircase.

They landed on the 12th stair from the bottom. A series of springs suddenly appeared on the 13th.

A few nanoseconds later, an invisible hand pushed Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily onto the 13th step.

"OUCH!" chorused Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily.

Almost instantaneously, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily were lifted off their feet and went soaring into the air.

The wind gusts snapped a hole in the roof, and up, up, up, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily soared.

Being blown away too quickly to think, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily landed back at Hogwarts, right in front of the entrance to the Great Hall.

Checking her watch, Lily screamed "JUST IN TIME!"

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table.

But this wasn't the Great Hall as it would normally be.

Frankenstein music was playing through the hall. The only light in the hall emanated from dimly lit Jack O Lanterns.

The ceiling had bewitched to resemble a chilling and ominous sky.

There were tombstones situated by the walls and the tables all had bits and pieces missing from them as though bites had taken out of them.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily all felt themselves shuddering a bit as they took seats at the Gryffindor table. The Frankenstein music and ceiling gave the whole Great Hall a huge aura of eeriness.

For the feast, they had special plates that were pitch black and in the shape of bats. And they also used pitch black cups with eye shaped thingys for straws.

The food itself was typical Hogwarts fare but on this night the liquid refreshment was blood.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily all shivered and quavered a bit whenever they took a sip.

But what everyone was really excited about was the Trick or Treat stations. Everyone knew that the candy being offered this was mostly candy meant to reflect the year's theme of Scary Halloween and they were excited about this.

Unlike last year's orange bags with black cats on them, this year, the students were given black bags with deep orange Jack O Lanterns on them to collect their candy in.

"Did anyone else keep their bags from last year?" Ainsley asked Devon, Hugo, James, and Lily curiously.

"Yes," replied Devon, Hugo, James, and Lily.

"Then we can all start a bit of collection of Halloween bags then," said Ainsley happily.

"I'll give mine to Stephanie,"said Lily, "As she's not here tonight and we know how much Stephanie loves Halloween."

"That won't be necessary," said Professor McGonagall from the staff table. "The Saver girls were given these bags before they left and Courtney was also given a bag from last year as well."

"Good," said Lily approvingly, "The Savers are big Halloween fans and I'm glad they got those bags."

"Exactly," smiled James.

"You may start Trick or Treating now," said McGonagall, "Start at your own table and your way around the hall."

Starting at their own Gryffindor table, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, and Lily were treated to Halloween colored M&Ms, Cadbury Scream Eggs, and James's beloved Old Faithful bars.

Moving on to the Hufflepuff table, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, and Lily collected Skittles Darkside, Blood orange Dots, and Peeps marshmallow ghosts.

Rotating on to the Ravenclaw table, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, and Lily got blood flavored lollipops, licorice in the shapes of mummies and vanilla cookies in the shape of brooms.

Sliding over to the Slytherin table, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, and Lily had their bags filled with, chocolate bats, chocolate cats , and of course, chocolate pumpkins.

1ce they had finished collecting their candy, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, and Lily all made their way back to the Gryffindor table.

"We need to decide," piped up Lily, "Which candies to eat now and which 1s to save. It seems as though there are more specifically Halloween themed candies in our bags than there were last year."

"The way to make that decision," said James matter factly, "Is to decide how many candies we want to eat tonight and choose those that are MOST specificity related to our scary Halloween theme."

"Let's not overdose by eating too much at 1ce but let's do favor a few that fit the theme and give us a few different flavors into the bargain," suggested Devon, "We're going to a have a few specifically Halloween themed candies left over no matter what we pick with this hall but let's try to choose 2 that fit the theme of Scary Halloween that also give us 2 different flavors."

"I say," offered Hugo, "Tonight we eat the Peeps Marshmallow ghosts, and the Cadbury Scream Eggs."

"THAT"S PERFECT!" chorused James and Devon.

"I guess that's settled then," said Lily.

Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily decided to eat their Peeps Marshmallow ghosts 1st.

Though they been bought in a muggle store, these Peeps had been bewitched and as such, when Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily opened them.

"BOO!" filled the hall in loud and freaky voices.

These "BOO!" noises continued to emanate from the Peeps until Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily took their 1st bites.

When they had finished the Peeps, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily moved on to the Cadbury Scream Eggs.

As with the Peeps, the Cadbury Scream Eggs had been bewitched.

The nanosecond that, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily opened the Cadbury Scream Eggs, a spooky screaming and screeching filled the entirety of the Great Hall.

Many people covered their ears and Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily all quickly took their 1st bites.

The interior greenish goo kinda freaked Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily all out in the darkness and atmosphere of the hall and they all screamed themselves.

"That was good candy," said James when they had finished the eggs.

"And the freakiness fits the Scary Halloween theme," smiled Devon, "As someone who wanted to do Scary Halloween all along, I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

"Albus was the other 1 who voted for Scary Halloween, " said Lily, remembering the 1st meeting of the Hogwarts Planning Club.

"And I'm just as happy as Devon with the end result," said Albus, drifting over to join Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily., "I, Rose, and Pamela chose the licorice mummies and the Cadbury Scream Eggs as the candies we ate tonight."

"I'm glad it went so well," said James happily.

"Hey, Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily?" asked Albus, "Pamela and Rose have gone back to the common room; they have had as much Scary Halloween as they can handle. But I want to stay here and enjoy it more. May I join you guys for awhile."

"Of course!" chorused Devon, James, Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily.

Devon, James, Hugo, Albus, Ainsley, and Lily spent several more hours in the Great Hall, delighting in its creepiness.

They ended the night by going for a walk along the tombstone filled walls.

When the left the Great Hall, it was pitch black.

Instant Darkness Powder had clearly been used.

Devon, James, Albus Hugo, Ainsley, and Lily stuck tightly together as they walked very slowly back to Gryffindor tower.

A walk in the pitch black was the perfect fright to end the night.


	72. A Prank and a Plan

On Monday, November 2nd, 2020, at 5 A.M. Hogwarts time, Lily suddenly awoke to the feeling of some very hot water.

'OUCH!" screamed Lily involuntarily.

Lily saw that she was extremely wet and that the hot water was bubbling up.

Next nanosecond, Lily saw Samantha and Stephanie running out of her room holding pots and laughing their asses off.

Apparently, Samantha and Stephanie had decided to prank Lily by pouring boiling water onto her to wake her early upon their return to Hogwarts.

Deciding to go down to the common room, Lily saw Samantha and Stephanie standing in the middle of the room waiting for her.

"Good morning Lily," chorused Samantha and Stephanie with smirks.

"That was a really good prank," admitted Lily with a grin, "High 5s?"

Samantha and Stephanie did exchange hi 5s with Lily.

Lily reached into her right pocket and pulled out 10 galleons.

"Samantha, Stephanie," said Lily cheerfully, "You have each earned 5 galleons from me as a prize for coming up with such a great prank!"

Lily handed 5 galleons each to Samantha and Stephanie, who both grinned at each other.

"Ainsley will be so jealous when she finds out that we created a prank that Lily thought worthy of rewarding us for!" grinned Samantha.

"I don't think Ainsley has much of a jealousy coefficient," said Stephanie matter of factly, "But I do credit Ainsley for teaching me to lighten up a bit. I'm still the most serious person in our circle. But I have learned to have more fun and to laugh 1ce in awhile."

"Hey, Stephanie?" asked Lily, "I've been thinking that I'd like to get started on some of our fundraising for Worthy Wands. I know Samantha intends to record her Christmas album this month but it won't be sold in stores in until December 1st."

"I'm really looking forward to recording it," said Samantha happily.

"But I want to do 1 of the fundraisers where we could start raising some money right away," explained Lily, "And as it so happens, I've already arranged it with McGonagall."

"What is it then?" asked Samantha eagerly.

"You know," grinned Lily, "I've already informed everyone lese in our circle of family and friends and Devon, Hugo, Albus, and James are super eager for this event. Some guests, most notably, Todd, Miles, and Gary will be coming for the event, and starting today, notices will be put on the message boards of all 4 houses common rooms inventing the general Hogwarts population to this event."

"Which is?" asked Stephanie.

"This Friday at 2 P.M. Hogwarts time, on the Quidditch pitch, we will be hosting a Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party. I don't want ro elaborate too much at this nanosecond, but all proceeds from admission fees will go to Worthy Wands and all guests will be welcome to make extra donations, big or small, at their own digression. I've planned the whole thing out, but guests will not know exactly the ways they will be able to have fun at my expensive until I start the party," explained Lily, "Everyone will just have to wait and see!"


	73. Assisting Ainsley's Christmas

1ce Devon, James, Hugo, and Ainsley had all joined Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily in the common room, the conversation turned to Samantha's up coming Christmas Album.

"So, Samantha?" asked Lily curiously, "What songs do you plan to include on your Christmas album?"

"Remember," answered Samantha, "That the title of my album will be Samantha Saver's Secular Christmas,"

"Yes," smiled Lily, "As an atheist, I'm glad to see someone set out to produce an all secular Christmas album."

"I'm an atheist too," Samantha reminded them, My very motivation for this project was wanting to put an all secular Christmas album on the market for atheists and non religious people."

"So, then what songs will include?" prodded James.

"There are certain songs that seemingly endless versions of exist. I tried to lean towards songs that are popular but don't have quite as many versions of them out there. You won't hear I'll Be Home for Christmas or Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas on my album-" began Samantha.

"But what WILL we hear?" inquired Devon impatiently.

"I'm definitely including Rocking Around the Christmas Tree," said Samantha eagerly.

"A very cheerful and upbeat the song," said Ainsley happily.

"Ainsley is showing again why she had a legitimate shot at Ravenclaw," smirked Samantha, "Yes, my album is not meant to be poignant or reflective. I want to focus on the happy, the cheerful, and the festive."

"Samantha, what kind of Christmas tree do the Savers usually have?" asked Lily eagerly.

"The Savers have always used artificial Christmas trees," explained Samantha, "We've had the Christmas tree we currently own since 2011. It came with the lights prestrung so it's mostly a matter of Samuel decorating it with ornaments every year. The lights are LED with a 5 color scheme of red, green, blue, orange, and yellow."

"Using an artificial tree is a great idea," said Hugo clearly, "You can reuse it for many years and you don't have worry about it catching fire and burning your house down."

Stephanie shuddered involuntarily. As the pain of the loss of her lifelong home mere months ago was still raw in her heart, any reference to houses burning down hit her in the gut.

"Your family uses an artificial Christmas tree too, Hugo?" asked Samantha.

"Absolutely," replied Hugo instantly, "Hermione would never have a real tree in our home."

"Neither would Dudley in ours," supplied Devon, "Debra has always wanted us to get a real live tree for Christmas. Dudley, however, citing the fire hazards of real tress and the hassle having to a get new 1 every year, has always insisted that we stick to our artificial Christmas tree."

"Good for Dudley," chorused James and Lily approvingly.

"Ginny would LOVE a real Christmas tree," explained Lily matter of factly, "But Harry has always put his foot down and made sure that our family stuck with the faker but safer thing."

"Well," said Ainsley sadly, "My family can't have a Christmas tree. I'm an only child being raised by a single parent mother. Amy is usually too busy with work to put up a Christmas tree. "

The sadness in Ainsley's voice couldn't be more pronounced.

Ainsley continued in a low and uncomfortable voice., "And I can't do it myself. When school lets out I often have to spend a fair amount of time with Amy at work. Amy believes that no kid under 14 should be left home alone so I wouldn't have the time to do it myself either."

Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie and especially Lily all now had sad looks of their own on their faces.

...

The 1st day of the Christmas holidays.

Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily had all just arrived at Cochlain Manor by Floo powder.

Samantha and Stephanie were carrying the artificial Christmas tree they had purchased that day. This tree happened to be very similar to 1 owned by the Savers,

James and Lily were carrying Christmas balls and other ornaments that they had purchased for the tree and Devon was carrying a tree scarf he had bought to put under the tree.

Hugo was carrying 2 batches of Christmas cookies he had made that morning.

"Let's take the tree out of the box," said Samantha in a businesslike tone, "And be careful not to damage the box as it will be used to store the tree when Christmas is over."

With Stephanie's careful help, Samantha got the tree out of the box. The tree had prestrung lights so that was 1 task they didn't have to mess with.

"It's a 3 piece tree," Samantha told Stephanie, "Can you please put the tree together using the number system. The number system will indicate a top, middle, and bottom. Use the diagram that came in the box. I'm going to go find a good spot for the tree."

"Of course, Samantha, go find the right spot and I'll get the tree put together," replied Stephanie briskly

It didn't take Samantha long to identify the correct home for the tree, There was an unused plug in the corner of the living room. When she saw that Stephanie had the tree together, Samantha called her to the corner.

""Should I plug it in then?' asked Stephanie.

"Go for it, Steph," smiled Samantha.

Stephanie plugged the tree in and the lights were functioning properly.

It was a 5 color scheme with clusters of 5 lights of 1 of each color: red, green, yellow, blue and orange. These were LED lights.

The tree was slightly bigger and slightly taller than the Savers tree but it would have been difficult for a person who had seen them both to tell them apart,

"So far, so good," said Stephanie in a relived voice.

"James and Lily," called Samantha, "We're ready for you."'

James and Lily sprang forward.

James carefully decorated the tree with various Santa, snowman, reindeer, and candy cane shaped and colored ornaments. James make the sure to distribute all of the ornaments acorss all parts of the tree evenly so that a sense of variety was present in all areas of the tree.

"Great job, baby bro!" said Lily admiringly as she looked at James's finished work.

"Thanks, big sis," smiled James, "You'll do a great job with the balls too."

The Christmas balls were silvery on the outside and all of them had switches on the bottom. They carefully crafted designs on the outside of trees, sleighs, snowmen, Santas, reindeer, houses, and wreaths,

Lily, like James, was careful to give the balls even distribution. And then, Lily turned on the switches,

At 1st the balls lit up in a silver color. But after a few seconds and a few nanoseconds, they changed to purple. And then yellow. And then orange, And blue, pink, and finally, red then green before starting the cycle all over again at silver.

"Lily threw a 95 yard touchdown pass with these balls," said Samantha brightly.

"Devon, time for your part," called Stephanie.

Devon approached carrying the tree scarf he had bought. When he unfolded it they saw that it was round featured a snowman and tree with lights against a deep blue starry background and had a vivid red border. Devon set the tree scarf down on the floor under the tree.

"That's a really nice tree scarf you picked out, Devon, it's beautiful," said Lily cheerfully, "Ainsley will love it."

"It greatly enhances the appearance of the tree and that appearance was already great," smiled Samantha.

"Hey," Samantha, " called Devon, "Could you sing a Christmas song that you did NOT include on your album as a welcome for Amy and Ainsley when they arrive?"

"Of course!" smiled Samantha.

Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily all now went to the floo to await the arrival home of Amy and Ainsley.

When Amy and Ainsley stumbled into the floo, Samantha burst into song.

"

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire  
Jack Frost nipping at your nose  
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir  
Dressed up like Eskimos  
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe  
Help to make the season bright  
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow  
Will find it hard to sleep tonight  
They know that Santa's on his way  
He's bringing lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh  
And every mother's child is gonna spy  
To see if reindeer really know how to fly  
And so I'm offering this simple phrase  
To kids from one to ninety two  
Although it's been said many times, many ways  
Merry Christmas to you

They know that Santa's on his way  
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies  
On his sleigh  
And every mother's child is gonna spy  
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple phrase  
To kids from one to ninety two  
Although it's been said many times, many ways  
Merry Christmas to you  
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas  
Merry Christmas to you!"

"That was beautiful, Samantha," grinned Ainsley when Samantha had finished, "I hadn't heard you sing before. You have a genuine singing voice. But what are you-"

Ainsley cut off when she and Amy saw the Christmas tree, all lit up with it's ornaments and colorful Christmas balls accented by its pretty tree scarf.

"OHHHHHHH!" yelped Ainsley suddenly.

"What is it, Ainsley?" asked Amy.

"Amy," said Ainsley emotionally, "On the day that Samantha and Stephanie returned to Hogwarts after Halloween, we had a bunch of indiscriminate conversations. When the topic of Samantha recording her Christmas album came up, she mentioned that she was going to include the song Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. That started conversations about real vs artificial Christmas trees and what kinds of Christmas trees we had all had. I was honest and admitted that we couldn't have a Christmas tree because of our time constraints."

"And your friends took it upon themselves to give us a better Christmas," said a tearful Amy in an apperceive voice.

"I'm guessing they starting having discussions amongst themselves that night," piped up Ainsley.

"That's true," said Hugo, "But the credit goes to Lily. It was Lily's idea that we get and decorate a Christmas tree for the Cochlains this year and she shared the idea with us that night/ We've been planning to dp this ever since."

"Everyone played a part," said Lily proudly, "Samantha and Stephanie bought the tree. Stephanie put the tree together. Samantha found the perfect spot for it. James bought the ornaments and I bought the Christmas balls. James decorated the tree with the ornaments and I placed the balls."

"Lily, they're beautiful," said Ainsley sincerely, "That color changing thing is the coolest thing ever!"

"I knew you would like that, Ains," said Lily in a satisfied voice, "The tree scarf was Devon's contribution."

"It is beautiful and accents this tree perfectly," said Ainsley brightly.

"I hit a 60 yard field goal with that 1," grinned Devon.

"And Hugo has 1 last surprise for you," added Lily.

Hugo presented Amy and Ainsley with 1 batch of Christmas cookie each.

They were baked into Christmas shapes such as snowflakes, bows, presents, trees, candy canes, and Santas. They were all topped with white vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles.

Amy and Ainsley each ate 1 of the tree shaped 1s 1st.

"Vanilla frosting is the best!" grinned Amy, "And these cookies are delicious."

"Yum, yum, yum, '"agreed Ainsley, "And you know I love rainbow sprinkles."

"So everyone did a part to help make this a better Christmas for us?" choked up Amy.

"Indeed," said Ainsley with misty eyes, "Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily. Thank you. Thank you for taking tine out from your own schedules to help make this a more special Christmas season for me and Amy. We can't even begin to tell you how much this means to us."

"I have no words," said Amy softly, "But Ainsley said it all for me."

As Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily, along with Amy and Ainsley all looked at the lit tree with it's beautiful light scheme and changing color Christmas balls, accented by it's beautiful tree scarf, they had felt their hearts radiate.

It filled the hearts of Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily to know what they had done for the Cochlains and what to see it meant to them. This was especially true for Lily, who got more warmth and satisfaction from helping other people than anything else.

Amy and Ainsley were so touched and so overjoyed not only to eat the yummy cookies and see the beautiful tree but to know how much Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily had cared and to know how they had gone out of their way to help Amy and Ainsley this Christmas season.

Ainsley didn't know what her future would hold when she transferred to the Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing next fall.

But Ainsley did know this; no matter what happened going forward, Devon, James, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily were very special friends and her life was all the richer for having met them. They had proven that again in the this special Christmas season.


	74. A Sister's Support

Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts on the night of Monday, November 2nd, 2020, as 11 P.M. approached, James was in thought with his head in his hands as he sat in a chair by the fire.

His thoughts were interrupted when Lily walked by and he looked up suddenly.

"Sorry, James," said Lily, "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay, Lily," said James, "But I've got to tell you, I've been thinking that I will skip my Wandmaking sessions this week and resume them next week instead."

"Why?" asked Lily calmly.

"I'm still grieving the loss of Olivander and I don't feel like I'm ready to go into that History of Magic classroom for a Wandmaking session without him yet," said James uneasily.

"James," said Lily gently, "I respectfully disagree with that decision. Ultimately, different people may grieve differently, but you are the only 1 who can make this decision. That said, in my opinion, you should go to your Wandmaking session tonight, Sometimes, numbing pain and delaying reality makes it that much worse when it finally does hit you. Furthermore, it is unhealthily for people to keep a lot of emotion bottled up inside. Until you have fully accepted what has happened and moved on from it, these emotions will continue to grow and fester. That is a very unhealthily thing and it could even drive you mad if went on for too long. Only with acceptance can there be recovery. I don't think that you'll be able to fully accept what has happened until you face the reality of how it has changed your life head on."

"Lily," said James seriously, "I appreciate what you're trying to tell me here. My concern is that if I return to Wandmaking before I am ready, I won't be properly focused and will develop bad habits in my Wandmaking. The death of Olivander makes it that much more important that I get this right."

"That is a very legitimate concern, James", acknowledged Lily, "But I still think you should at least go to your Wandmaking session tonight. If you don't feel up to actually making a wand tonight after whatever emotions you experience, fine. But I really think the sooner you get into that room and face those emotions, whatever they may be, the better. That said, only you can make this decision."

James sat in silent thought for a few minutes and a few nanoseconds.

"I don't feel entirely sure what the right decision would be," James finally said, "But I'll trust your judgemnet on this 1, Lily. I'm leaving now."

"James, I promised you that I would accompany you to your Wandmaking sessions the rest of the school year and I stand by that promise 100%," Lily reminded James.

"Thanks, Lily," replied James quietly.

James and Lily slowly left the common room and made the trek to the History of Magic classroom.

"James, you're going to be okay," said Lily reassuringly as they walked, "But sometimes you have to face emotion rather than delay it or run from it."

As they entered the History of Magic classroom, James caught sight of the desk that he and Olivander had worked at together so many times.

He looked over at the now empty chair that Olivander had sat in and a tidal wave of emotion came crashing down on James.

James burst into tears and fell to the floor. James wept openly on the floor for several minutes and several nanoseconds. His tears had a burning sensation in them and when he finally got up a painful pang engulfed his heart.

"Let it all out, James," said Lily encouragingly, giving him a hearty pat on the back, "You'll feel better when it's over."

"Olivander gone," sobbed James, "I can't believe he'll never be able to talk to me or help again."

"James, I know it's hard," said Lily, "But you will get through it. Remember that I'm here for you if you need anything."

James gave Lily a thumbs up as his tears continued to flow and he seemed unable to say anymore at the time.

When James's tears subsided, a heated type of emotion overtook him.

Looking over at Lily, James went ballistic on her.

"AND YOU! YOUR LITTLE BITCH ASS WILL NEVER REPLACE OLIVANDER! YOU THINK YOU CAN REPLACE HIM BUT YOU CAN'T! YOU WANTED TO COME HERE TO TRY TO TAKE HIS PLACE! WELL, YOU CAN'T! IT'S SO UNFAIR THAT SO MUCH TIME WITH OLIVANDER THIS YEAR WAS TAKEN FROM ME AND YOU ARE WORTHLESS COMPARED TO HIM!."

Lily remained completely patient through all of this. She knew what she had signed up for when she had volunteered to accompany James to these sessions and knew that a blow up like the 1 James was having now was possible and perhaps even likely. Her only concern was helping James through this process.

Fuming, James took a massive swipe at Lily and hit her hard on her right shoulder with his right hand.

Lily did feel the natural physical pain of having been punched, but no damage had done.

After James had calmed down, his tears returned, but this time they only lasted about a minute.

Finally, James took a deep breath and looked extremely relived.

"Are you feeling better, James?" asked Lily kindly.

"Very much so," sighed James, "I still feel really sad but I also feel as though something poisonous has been extracted from me. The pain and sadness are still there but I feel like I've come to terms with what has happened better than I had before."

"I'm guessing you are not feeling up to making a wand tonight, James?" guessed Lily.

"No," admitted James, "But I'm much further along in the healing process than I was before I came here tonight. I don't know if I'll be up to making a wand on Wednesday, but I'm confident I'll be ready to give it a shot by next Monday."

There were a few nanoseconds of silence and then James looked Lily right in the eyes.

"Lily," said James sincerely, "I want to thank you for the advice you gave me about coming here tonight. You were absolutely right that facing it all sooner was the best thing for me."

"All credit to you for having enough humility to listen to me," said Lily respectfully.

"That wasn't humility," said James quietly, "It was trust. I listened to you because I trust your judgment and I know you have my best interests at heart. And I would also like to thank you for coming here with me tonight. I know you don't have to do this and I want you to know that it's noticed and it's appreciated."

"I'll always be there for you when you need me, James, you know that," said Lily fiercely.

"Lily, you truly are the greatest sister in the world, you truly are the greatest friend in the world, and you truly are the greatest person in the world," said James emotionally.

And with that, James and Lily embraced in a bone crunching hug.


	75. Pranks, Plans, and Donations

The 1st week of November 2020 was used strictly for review in classes with no homework assigned. As such, the normal Friday library time was not mandated on Friday, November 6th, 2020. In fact, McGonagall actually ordered the library closed from Friday, November 6th, 2020 through Sunday, November 8th, 2020 under the premise that "Sometimes you need to get away from school and academics and live a little."

Lily was looking forward to doing their 1st fundraiser for Worthy wands that afternoon. Several guests would be coming at Hogwarts were coming to Hogwarts to partake in the much anticipated Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party.

As she had been on Monday, Lily woke Friday morning to a prank on her.

At 5 A.M. Hogwarts time, Lily was suddenly awoken by huge itching sensations all over herself. Next nanosecond Lily felt that she was covered in itching powder and out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man standing in her room a few feet from her bed. This man had clearly pranked Lily by dumping itching powder all over her while she had been sleeping.

Getting herself out of bed, Lily was delighted when she realized who the man was.

'HARRY!" squealed Lily happily as she ran up to hug him.

"It's great to see you, Lily," smiled Harry, who then added with a smirk, "I got you good!"

Lily laughed and smiled at Harry and said with a grim, "I can now tell everyone that I got pranked by Harry Potter!"

"You're the only 1 who can say that honestly. That was the 1st prank I've ever pulled on anyone," said Harry matter of factly.

"So have you come to participate in the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party this afternoon?" Lily asked Harry.

"No," said Harry, "I can't stay because of work obligations but I am going to make a donation to Worthy Wands today. I don't feel comfortable putting money in the mail, be it in the muggle world or the magical world. Therefore I am making a quick stop at Hogwarts to make my donation in person. Do you have a collecting tin ready?"

In response, Lily opened her trunk and retrieved a tall hot pink canister with a coin slot opening on the top.

"How much are you hoping to raise today?" Harry asked Lily kindly.

"Well," said Lily with a smile, "I don't really have a set goal. I'm just hoping we can raise a decent amount."

"I'm going to start things with a 100 galleon donation," replied Harry warmly.

True to his word, Harry proceeded to drop 100 galleons into Lily's collecting tin.

Lily's eyes watered with gratitude as she accepted Harry's huge donation.

"Harry," said Lily sincerely, "Thank you, very much for your major contribution to Worthy Wands. Your generosity will benefit many underprivileged wizarding children in the years to come."

"Lily," said Harry heartily, "I couldn't be prouder of you for having the idea for Worthy Wands in the 1st place and for your continued passion for the charity. I just wish something like Worthy Wands had existed in my time. That's no doubt in mind that both Ron's and Neville's struggles in their early years at Hogwarts were at least partially the function of using hand me down wands instead of wands that had chosen them."

"My mission in starting Worthy Wands was to prevent such cases from continuing in the future." said Lily matter of factly.

Harry's face and voice now took on a much more serious tenor and he said "Lily, I have news for you and you're not going to like it."

"Are we moving? Am I being transferred away from Hogwarts?" asked Lily.

"Nothing that major," Harry assured her, "But we're going to have a different type of Christmas this year. Several adults in our circle. including Ginny, are currently away on a cruise and won't be home for Christmas."

"So basically Ginny's not going to be home for Christmas?" Lily asked Harry to confirm.

"Hermione is with also with Ginny on that cruise. So are Dudley and Debra." explained Harry.

"The only thing I've heard that sounds like it affect our Christmas is Ginny being away. Just means Ginny won't be with us this year. I fail to see how Hermione, Dudley, and Debra being away on that cruise affects our Christmas. "

"Devon and Hugo will be staying with us over the Christmas break, including on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day." said Harry matter of factly.

"You know," said Lily thoughtfully, "In the past it meant something to me to be able to spend Christmas with only you, James, Albus, and Ginny. It was special to me that we kept it within the immediate family. It would be a blatant lie for me to say I wouldn't prefer it stay that way. But you know what, having to share Christmas with Devon and Hugo isn't so bad."

"Lily," said Harry in a polite but clear voice, "I want you to give me your word now that you will make Hugo and Devon feel as welcome as possible at Potter Manor over Christmas. "

"I'll make the Unbreakable Vow with you about that if you'd like," Lily offered Harry.

"No," said Harry firmly, "I wouldn't insult your integrity by asking you for an Unbreakable Vow. I know you're a girl of your word. But I want you to give that word now."

"Harry," promised, Lily, "I give you my word that I will be warm and welcoming towards Hugo and Devon when they stay at Potter Manor over Christmas. I will treat them as though they were my brothers and I will treat =ly as you, James, and Albus."

"Thank you, Lily," said Harry gently, "I know this isn't the type of news you wanted sprung on you today but well...….."

"It's okay, Harry," said Lily quietly, "I'll make the best of it. It's not the circumstance I'd heave chosen but I'll make the best of it and I'll be able to make some new memories of a different kind of kind of Christmas with Devon and Hugo."

"Lily, please understand that Hugo and Devon had no say in this decision. 1ce their parents decided to take this months long cruise that will keep them away from home at Christmas, Devon and Hugo needed a place to stay for Christmas. Hogwarts is no longer open over Christmas break and Hermione, Dudley, and Debra still feel that Hugo and Devon are a little too young to be left home alone," explained Harry calmly.

"Hugo and Devon are, in my opinion, trustworthy enough to be home alone. But no one should have to spend Christmas lonely. It may be different, but I think Hugo and Devon can help us have a great Christmas," said Lily, ultimately accepting the news that Harry had given her.

"Well, Lily good with the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party this afternoon. I hope you and your friends have loads of fun and I hope you raise a boatload of money for Worthy Wands."

"Thanks, Harry," said Lily warmly, "And thank you again for your very generous donation to Worthy Wands."


End file.
